HC Deb 11 May 1916 vol 82 cc1004-5

(1) Without prejudice and in addition to any other application of Sub-section (1) of the principal Section, the said Sub-section shall apply as from the appointed date specified in the next following Subsection of this Section to all the persons to whom this Section applies other than the persons specified in Sub-sections (1) and (4) of the principal Section as persons who are to be deemed as from the appointed date for the purposes of the principal Act to have been duly enlisted, and the principal Act and this Act shall have effect accordingly.

(2) The appointed date shall—

  1. (a) as respects men who, on account of the provisions of this Section, come on the passing of this Act within the operation of Sub-section (1) of the principal Section, be the thirtieth day after the date of the passing of this Act;
  2. (b) as respects men who, on account of the provisions of this Section, come after the passing of this Act within the operation of Sub-section (1) of the principal Section, be the thirtieth day after the date on which they so come within that operation.

(3) This Section applies to every male British subject—

  1. (a) who has at any time since the fourteenth day of August, nineteen hundred and fifteen, been, or for the time being is ordinarily resident in Great Britain; and
  2. (b) who has attained the age of eighteen years and has not attained the age of forty-one years;
unless he either is for the time being within the statutory exceptions or has attained the age of forty-one years before the appointed date specified in the last foregoing Sub-section of this Section.

(4) In this Act the expression "principal Act" means the Military Service Act, 1916, and in this Section—

  1. (a) the expression "statutory exceptions" means the exceptions set out in the First Schedule to the principal Act, as amended by this Act or any subsequent enactment; and
  2. (b) the expression "principal Section" means Section one of the principal Act.

Clause brought up, and read the first time.

Mr. KING

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a second time."

I put this Clause down because I hope that the Solicitor-General admits that Clause 1 in its present drafting will not stand. It will have to be amended. I have taken a good deal of trouble about this. It is an important proposal to get over a drafting difficulty which, I think, still exists. If the Solicitor-General will tell me that he recognises, as I think he admitted in the earlier part of our Committee proceedings—

The CHAIRMAN

I understand from the hon. Member that this is his drafting of the Government Bill. We cannot have two different draftings of one Bill in one cover. Therefore, I cannot put it to the Committee.

Clause, by leave, withdrawn.