CONSCRIPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1915, Page 7

CONSCRIPTION.

TARANAKI EXECUTIVE DISCUSSION On Thursday the Taranaki Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union discussed the advisableness of introducing compulsory service. • The question was first introduced by Mr. •Maxwell, who said that the executive should certainly express its opinion upon it. Personally lie had always been in favor of conscription, because the voluntary system was disastrous to the nation. The flower of the nation was being threatened all over the Empire, while the shirkers—lie disliked the word i —were left behind; jtet he did not say that all who did not go were unwilling to go, because there was probably a large number who had really good reasons for not doing so. But it was manifestly unfair that the willing should go and the unwilling allowed to remain behind. He tnew of eases where only sons had gone, leaving parents to struggle along by tliemselves almost in poverty, while three or four in some families were eligible to volunteer but had not done so. The voluntary system was not altogether fair, because it took away lIH'II who could not very well be spared, and who were doing excellent woTk for the country—engineers and labor for the producing community. They would perhaps hardly credit it, but he knew i>f small dairy farms in Taranaki which had been so depleted that they were jwacticallv being abandoned, but it was different where farmers had large _ families of girls who could assist. Mr. J. Swindlehurst spoke in'favor if conscription, pointing out that there were plenty of young single men who were not doing anything useful for the country, but who could go to the front, and should be compelled to go. With conscription the military authorities would kuow what men to leave behind, so that production could not be interfered with. The older men would be • guite prepared to go later if it came to the worst, and he would go himself >f lie wore younger. But he did not see ~ why the willing men should have to fight for the shirkers. Mr. F. Mills said he agreed with the principle of conscription, Ihut great care would hicve to be exercised in carrying it out, in order to see that the useful men were spared to the Dominion. The president said he would not object to conscription if it was considered necessary by the authorities. He agreed that care would need to be exercised :n bringing the system into force, so th.it Hie men necessary to assist in the work of production should be left behind to Supply the troops with food and ammunition. j