Personally, Dr McNab said, he had never been fond of voluntaryism, seeing that all other obligations to the State were compulsory. Yet the greatest of all was not so. Although the Allies had placed 5 millions of men in the field, they could not carry out their stupendous task except by compulsion. In our future reinforcements we were going to have conscripts, and there should be as little distinction made as possible as to the men who went before and the men who were going now. The State, as a gathering body, must not draw any distinction between these men. When the war was over, many of the soldiers of to-day would be the civilians of to-morrow, so the returned soldier problem was in their own hands, and no doubt they could see to it that it was properly handled. He asked them to remember that 60,000 men from New Zealand were bearing arms. All these men had fathers, mothers, sweethearts, friends, and brothers out of the 1 million inhabitants of this country.
• A proposal to form a by-law for the purpose of licensing drivers of motor cars and cycles was brought up for discussion at the Clutha County Council. Cr Edwards said that it was rather ridiculous for car owners to pay the money for licenses to other counties. Could not the money be taken and a certificate of ability to drive be given without a by-law? Cr Nicol said the council would lose nothing by making a by-law, and after the first year there would be a little revenue from it. The money should be kept in the district rather than let it go to other counties. Cr Nicol said that as there was no license in Southland, £50 or £60 might be received from that county. It was decided that the necessary steps be taken to have the by-law drawn up.
• The closely-related questions of providing an extended water supply and an improved drainage system for the borough of Port Chalmers have been considered by a committee of the whole council. The decision, which will come before the ordinary meeting this evening for ratification, is as follows:— ‘‘That the Port Chalmers Borough Council take steps for the erection of a new reservoir and for a comprehensive system of drainage, both works to be undertaken in conjunction with each other, and that Mr Williams and Mr Couston (engineers) be asked to undertake the works of the reservoir and drainage respectively.’’ — ODT, 30.10.1916
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
