THE MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1916, Page 5

THE MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

FURTHER DISCUSSION. Wellington, Last Night By Telegraph.—Press Association. M. Webb said that the object of the Bill, in his opinion, was to produce cheap soldiers. It was also an insult to the Dominion which had done bo well under the voluntary system. He contended that the Bill had not been before the electors, and no attempt had ( been made to curtail the cost of living. Mr C. A. Wilkinson considered that <£« country would back up the Government in bringing down the meaaure., The Bill was a sign of strength. B waa known there were shirkers w4io opt posed the Bill, and they were fighting a poor cause indeed. Under the votant-' ary system immature boys bad been sent to the front while able-bodied »MB were staying at home. It was apparent that the" Bill already had good effect in stimulating recruiting. The clause relating to conscription of married men would have to be carefully considered, as many might be ruined if compelled to give up their engagements, at * moment's notice. Mr. Sidey favoued compulsory sew vice and condemned i the voluntary eny listment as unfair. ' ,The Bill might be amended in several details in committee,' ,M. G. M. Anderson had sufficient confidence in the, Government that suitable men would be appointed to the Appeal Board who would act fairly to reservist*. He was pleased that the Bill did »ot provide for exemptions. His experience in the recruitng movement was that reinforcements could not be kept up with* out compulsion, and he thought the BUI a good one. , Mr. Payne contended that there could be no equity about a system of com- , pulsion that provided for the exemption of men of paticular industries. The Bill would put the clock back five hundred years, and substitute civilian for military domination. If proper provisions were made for the payment of married men there was no necessity for compulsion. Hon. Dr. Ponvare supported the Bill, and he road a letter from Dr. Buck strongly urging that the Maori Contingent should be maintained at full strength. Mr. J. Talbot, while regarding roluntary enlistment as the ideal system, considered it wise to have available the strong backing compulsion would gi?e, if required. In supporting the Bill, Mr. A. Harrii , said that the drain upon the country was only 50 per cent., and he could not see that 95 per cent, of the population was necessary to keep the Dominion going. He welcomed the Bill as a mean* of discovering those who had so far failed to recognise their responsibilities.