WEALTHY SHIRKERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1916, Page 6

WEALTHY SHIRKERS.

A TARDY REPENTANCE, MR. WILFORD CITES TWO CASES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, .Tune ft. During the debate in the House of Representatives on Mr. (i. Witty's amendment to the employers' exemption appeal clause of tlie Military Service Bill, providing that where the employer is the father or the mother of the employee the employer shall have no right of 'appeal, Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) stated that two Mastcrtoii single men, worth £IO,OOO to £ll,000 each, were cases in point. They were shirkers, and their example, as he had found when he attended recruiting meetings in the district, had had a very bad effect on volunteering. The' meii, canvassed asked why they should go and fight when such men would not do so. But he couldn't move them. He had a right to speak to them, because they were cousins of his. He was glad to say, however, that he had other cousins in the district, also Quakers—four boys and a girl—and the four boys were fighting at the front and the girl was nursing in France. (Hear, hear). He had sent, the other two a strong pamphlet entitled ''Skulk at home and the Kaiser will be proud of you," and even that did not shift them.' (Laughter).

Dr. Thaeker: "Are they fit?" Mr. Wilford: "Fit? Yes!" Dr. Thaeker: "How do you know they are fit?" ' Mr. Wilford: "I know very well." Mr. Wilford said that the Mastertoa Patriotic Committee and himself had tried every way to shift them, but they could not move them. And their father wouM not try to move them. Tn fact, tlio father would apply as an employer under the clause, if Mr.Witty's amenddment was not carried, to have them exempted, although he was not their employer. They were, indeed, partners, because of the graduated tax. (Laughter). He was glad to see that by a later clause the Minister had power to deal with cases where there were two or more sons in a family, none of whom had enlisted, and he'would be plad to give the Minister their addresses. (Hear, hear). Mr. Witty's amendment was carried on the voices. At a later stage, Mr. Wilford said that he had just been informed that his two cousin's had waived their Quaker objections, and had applied for commissions, though they had never done a day's drill. (Hear, hear, and laughter).