ENLISTING THE BOYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1917, Page 6

ENLISTING THE BOYS.

A PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENT. (Parliamentary Correspondent.) Wellington. Au.tr. 30. In the House of Representatives today Mr. J. McCoombs (Lyttelton) reminded member? of the recent report, subsequently denied by Mr. Massey and Sir James Allen, that the Government intended to lower the military age to nineteen years. Ho produced a. newspaper clipping which lie stated was a copy of a portion of a Bill containing ift clause for the. enlistment of boys at nineteen years. He understood those Hills were printed only on the order of the Prime Minister, and asked how this Bill was to be reconciled with the Ministerial statements that no proposal for lowering military age had been made by the Government. Mr. Massey replied that any Minister could have a draft Hill printed, and he added that the member for Lyttelton must have obtained the copy of the Bill by dishonorable means. The Prime Minister appeared to be under the impression that the member held an original copy of a Bill and his comment was a clear indication that the proposal to take nineteen-year-olds actually reached printed form. (Mr. McCoombs explained the next evening that the copy was printed by N.Z. Truth, and Mr. Massey withdrew his remark re "dishonorable means.")