RECRUITING.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1916, Page 8

RECRUITING.

CLIFTON COUXTY COUNCIL'S ATTITUDE. . The recruiting problem occupied the Clifton County.Council for a considerable time yesterday. At last meeting the Council passed t!ie following resolution: "That this Council, while desirous of doing everything in its power to support the Government, is emphatically of the opinion that the present system of voluntary enlistment has not met, and never will meet, with the exigencies of the present crisis, and that the time has come for the Government to introduce some form of compulsory enlistment, and, further, that it is the duty of the Government—and the Government alone —as the supreme authority of this State to sound the trumpet cail of duty, demand compliance thereto and effectually enforce it."'

At yesterday's meeting a communication was received from the Premier, who is chairman of the Recruiting Board. Mr. H. Olcey, M.IV for Taranaki, wrote that he noticed that the Council had decided not to take any.action in the direction of carrying out the Recruiting Board's scheme. As the adjoining counties and boroughs-were taking the matter up and appointing canvassers he suggested that the Council might reconsider their decision. The chairman said he had been thinking the. matter over, and was <rf opinion that the Council had been hasty in not following on the lines adopted by other local bodies.

Cr. Kennington: You want us to go round and flog, th'e willing horse. Members were of opinion that the resolution as passed did not say that the Council would not do anything. . Cr. Purdie favored compulsion. What was the use of spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on compulsory training if no benefit was to be derived after the men had been trained? The Gorernment had done away with volunteers years ago, and i should do- away with the voluntary system now, as it was about dead.

Councillors, as a body, did not favor canvassing, and during the discussion comment was made on the paucity of -particulars in the list supplied. &,

Cr. Kennington moved that the Council was still of opinion that compulsory service was necessary, but that the Council was willing.to assist in revising the local roll of the National Register.

Cr. Purdie seconded the motion, saying it re-affirmed the previous resolution, and went further by offering to assist with the National Register. Cr. Piggott moved hat the portion referring to compulsion be deleted. They l\ad already given their opinion that compulsion wa 3 necessary.

Cr. Hick* seconded the amendment, which was carried, only Cts. il\irdie and Keniiin? f -ji voting against it.