VOLUNTARY OR COMPULSORY?

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1915, Page 8

VOLUNTARY OR COMPULSORY?

To the Editor, Sir,—At different times correspondence appears in your columns as regards voluntary or compulsory military service for abroad, and suggestions of different kinds are put before the public. But as for myself (being an old active service volunteer), I prefer conscription. Noxv, sir, my opinion is that conscription is the proper thing, say on the following lines: Every eligible man, married and single, to be called up, the Government to take over their dependents and responsibi!ities ) carry on their farming pursuits, etc., and tax what is left behind to meet the extra expenditure that arises. Then every soldier would know that everyone is getting a taste of war instead of him getting it all for five bob a day, and no one can malie excuses or shelter. Being a married man myself and with a large family, also being eligible, I am quite prepared to meet as above, but I am not going to volunteer to fight for others who are not, and will not, even try to lend any assistance to the Empire in this present serious crisis, only sitting tight and coining money while volunteers are fighting and dying for five shillings a duv.—l am, etc., AN OLD SOLDIER, Manaia, Nov. 23, 1915.