THE AGE LIMIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1917, Page 4

THE AGE LIMIT.

The suggestion that the age limit of recruits should be lowered to 19 years will, we hope, be resisted by the country. The reason given for the alteration is that it will postpone the calling up of the Second Division for two or three months. This extension of time is hardly worth consideration. In any case, the Second Division members do not desire to shelter behind the youths of the country, and are prepared to do their duty when their time for service come.;. All they are exercised about is, will the Government do its duty by their dependents before they go? That is the point, and one that should be cleared and settled as early as possible. Ths Government has failed in its duty by the men who have already gone, which is a reason why the Second Division men, willi their greater family and olh-' responsibilities, desire to have their demands immediately considered by the Government, which, however, is evincing a disposition to put off the evil day as long as possible. The members of the .Second Division, we hrpe, will dissociate themselves entirely from this latest move of t&» Government, which, if persevered in, emst prejudice their legitimate claims. The fact that Britain and France have a lower age limit than ive have is no reason why wo should send away our immature youths. It is, of course, admitted that elder men are not staiiding up to the lighting like the men between 20 and tJO. Nor do they recover from wounds so quickly as the younfcer men, but we would be sorry to see our lads sent into the firinz line any oarliar

than Ihoy arc now. Wo believe if the Government infused a little more activity into the work of rounding up defaulters and went in for n proper system of training and physically building up the First Division reservists who have been rejected in such largo numbers, it could find an additional three reinforcements without calling upon the lads for service. The temptation to follow the line of least resistance has hitherto been tco strong for the Govevnnu'.it to combat, but it is time they faced the position squarely and acted courageously and fearlessly.