NEW RECRUITING SCHEME.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 42, 19 February 1916, Page 4

NEW RECRUITING SCHEME.

CONSIDERED BY TAIHAPE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Communications, signed, by the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. P. Massey), Sir Joseph Ward and Hon. J. Allen, in connection with and outlining the new recruiting scheme were considered at 'the meeting of the Taihape Borough Council last evening. Taihape is included in No. 6 Military District, /the hefcdquartars of which are at Palmerston North.

The Acting-Mayor said the matter had been discussed from one end of the country to the other. The spirit of the thing had been accepted by everyone, and although some considered conscription or some other form of compulsory service should be instituted. Personally he was entirely in favour of the proposition. Conscription should not come until abs«lutely necessary. So far New Zealand had done very well indeed. In England the Derby scheme, much the same a s the one under review, bad been worked for a long time before conscription was brought in. We should hang on to the voluntary system a s long as possible. The man under the voluntary system was keen on fighting and wanted to fight. He was of opinion they should afford the Government every help. The scheme provided for the Councillors in their public capacity to form themselves into a recruiting committee. It was also suggested that a public meeting should be called. He thought they should have a conference with the members of the Patriotic Committee 'and formulate a plan, and then call a public meeting.

“We’ve got to see this thing through, there’s no doubt about it, said the Acting-Mayor. Cr. Joblin said he could not say much good 'about it. The task of shielding the slacker and waster and sending willing men away did not appeal to him. He was strongly in favour of compulsion. Of course he would help as much as possible all the same. '«

The Acting-Mayor said that every month so many fellows came forward.

During the last six months 12,000 had come forward. Six months ago one would have said there were a lot of shirkers, but still those 12,000 had volunteered.

Cr. Joblin: Yes, and they’re all coming from the North Island. Cr. Joblin s'aid he thought it was every man’s duty to defend his country and not the duty of willing men only.

Cr. McLennan said that personally he was not in favour of the scheme,

hut it had been carefully thought out and every loyal person must support the Government at present. The people at the head of affairs h'ad more information than anyone else and should he supported. Cr. Wrightson said he w*as quite in favour of the scheme and thought the Council should give the government

every assistance. The Acting-Mayor (Mr. H. D. Bennett) then moved that the Council sympathises with the Recruiting* Board’s effort to give voluntarism further trial and offers to do what it can to carry out any made having for its objtmtimvonuhuance of voluntary till the system is proved inadequate.