LEADING FEATURES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 April 1939, Page 8

LEADING FEATURES

POSITION OF OBJECTORS MEASURES OF EXEMPTION. ON ACCEPTANCE OF NATIONAL. SERVICE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.23 a.m.) RUGBY. April 26. The chief points in Mr Chamberlain’s momentous-conscription statement in the House of Commons this afternoon were that the Government would introduce two Bills —one to enable the Service Departments to call up any class or description of the. reserve and auxiliary forces, while the main features of the other are: — .(1), Power to call up for military training ah men between 20 and 21. (2) Training to be given only in this country except when war breaks out, when the liability, to serve abroad would apply tc all alike, whether already called up or not. (3) Men to be called up will receive six months’ training, and at the end of that period they will be discharged and given the choice of entering the Territorial Army for 3£ years, during which time they would be called upon to fulfil the normal obligations of a Territorial soldier, or of passing to the Special Reserve of'the Regular Army. (4) Provision, will be made whereby individuals, when good cause is shown, may anticipate or postpone for a specified period the date of their calling up, so far as national interests will permit.

(5) Provision will be made for exemptions by tribunals cf conscientious objectors, on. condition that they undertake work of national importance.