Compulsory Military Training (CMT), a form of conscription Conscription is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by an established authority. It is most often used in the specific sense of requiring citizens to serve in the armed forces. It is known by various names—for example, the most recent conscription program in the United States was known colloquially as "the draft". Many, has been used in New Zealand during a number of historical periods.
Origins and world wars
CMT was first introduced in New Zealand with the Defence Act of 1909. It applied to all males from 14 to 21 years of age throughout New Zealand.
There were increasing criticisms of CMT voiced in Parliament, but this declined upon the outbreak of World War I World War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, the World War (prior to the outbreak of the Second World War), and the War to End All Wars, was a military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies, centred around the Triple Entente, and the Central Powers, centred in 1914, provided sufficient justification for CMT. In mid-war, conscription was introduced by the Military Services Bill (10 June 1916). CMT was abolished again in 1932 due to economic reasons.
In World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's nations, including all great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The war involved the mobilisation of over 100 million military personnel, making it the most widespread war in history. In a state of, the compulsory sections of the Defence Act were not invoked until nine months after the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939. Under the National Service Emergency Regulations of 1940, conscription was then reintroduced. Anyone aged between 18 and 46 became liable to be called up by ballot.
Post-war
On 25 May 1949, Prime Minister The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand. Since 19 November 2008, the Prime Minister has been John Key of the National Party Peter Fraser Peter Fraser served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 27 March 1940 until 13 December 1949. He held the office through most of the Second World War. Historians see him as a major figure in the history of the New Zealand Labour Party; he served longer than any other New Zealand Labour Prime Minister to date[update], announced that a referendum A referendum , ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, originally a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or would be held about the future of CMT. The results on 3 August 1949 strongly approved reintroduction of CMT (77.9% (553,016 votes) in favour, with 22.1% (152,443 votes) against.
Under the Compulsory Military Training Act of 1949 all males now became liable for military service upon reaching 18 years of age, with the rule taking effect in 1950. All men aged 18 and over being required to register with the Department of Labour and Employment The New Zealand Department of Labour was established in 1891 and its primary role is to improve the performance of the labour market and, through this, strengthen the economy and increase the standard of living for those in New Zealand, and apart from those exempted for medical or compassionate reasons, all had to undergo 14 weeks intensive, full-time training, three years part-time service, followed by six years in the Army Reserve. All trainees were allowed the option of serving with the Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (Maori: Te Taua Moana, The Sea Army) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. In April 2006 the fleet consisted of ten ships, with the combat force consisting of two frigates, Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (Maori: Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "New Zealand Warriors of the Sky") is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zealand components of the British Royal Air Force, becoming an independent force in 1923, although many RNZAF aircrew continued to serve in the Royal Air Force until or the New Zealand Army The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946. The New Zealand Army traces its history from settler militia raised in 1845. A total of 63,033 men were trained under the CMT scheme before it was abolished by the Labour Government The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially liberal, and Progressive, and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935 in early 1958.
In 1960 National, under Keith Holyoake Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7 February 1972. He was appointed as Governor-General in 1977, was elected and CMT was reinstated in 1962, however this time it was called 'National Service'. Under the provisions of the National Service Act all males were required to register on their 20th birthday with the Department of Labour. Ballots, based upon dates of birth, were then conducted to decide who would undertake compulsory service. Those selected were required to complete three months initial full-time training, followed by an annual commitment of three weeks part-time training for another 3 years (Conscripts were not sent overseas; unlike Australians or Americans, who were sent to Vietnam).
In 1972, Labour under Norman Kirk Norman Eric Kirk was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1972 until his sudden death in 1974. He led the Parliamentary wing of the New Zealand Labour Party from 1965 to 1974. He was the fourth Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand, but the first to be born in New Zealand. Kirk had a reputation as the most formidable debater of his time ended compulsory national service, as a result of a campaign of civil disobedience and lobbying by the Organisation to Halt Military Service ("OHMS", a pun on both resistance The ohm is the SI unit of electrical impedance or, in the direct current case, electrical resistance, named after Georg Simon Ohm and "On Her Majesty's Service", as OHMS was an acronym used on official envelopes).
Since 1972
Since 1972 the three branches of the New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force consists of three services: the New Zealand Army; the Royal New Zealand Navy; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the NZDF is New Zealand's Governor-General Hon. Sir Anand Satyanand who exercises his power on the advice of the Minister of Defence, Hon. Dr Wayne Mapp, under the Defence Act 199, (Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (Maori: Te Taua Moana, The Sea Army) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. In April 2006 the fleet consisted of ten ships, with the combat force consisting of two frigates, Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (Maori: Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "New Zealand Warriors of the Sky") is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zealand components of the British Royal Air Force, becoming an independent force in 1923, although many RNZAF aircrew continued to serve in the Royal Air Force until and the New Zealand Army The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946. The New Zealand Army traces its history from settler militia raised in 1845) have been all volunteer services; there is no form of conscription Conscription is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by an established authority. It is most often used in the specific sense of requiring citizens to serve in the armed forces. It is known by various names—for example, the most recent conscription program in the United States was known colloquially as "the draft". Many.
Categories: Conscription by country | Military of New Zealand Categories: Military by country | New Zealand | Military of Oceania | Military sociology | Referendums in New Zealand | 1949 referendums
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Chris Bourke
Sun, 11 May 2008 18:37:01 GM
For almost 30 years, Robin Dudding was also . New Zealand's. most gifted and significant literary editor. He was Charles Brasch's hand-picked successor at Landfall and went on to found his own literary journal, Islands. ... . Compulsory military training. had brought him north from Hastings, where he had worked on the Herald-Tribune. He seagulled on the Auckland wharves before becoming a reporter at the Star. The feisty underdog of Auckland's two dailies, the Star featured ...
