Not For Use In Industrial Trouble

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1949, Page 7

Not For Use In Industrial Trouble

Mr. Fraser's Assurance On Conscription

I ■ ' WELLINGTON, Jirne 30. "I would like to repeat what I have said time and time again, | that trainees will not be used in the event of industrial troubles in this country but that does not mean that the Government could stand-by if the country was in a turmoil and liot use emergehcy. - measuress" s.!f ; 2r;q \ ... V',' P I " .This was-- tjie ' Prime -MJnister,. . Hrv Fraserjyin ihe. . S eoiirse pf.moying, ii^tiseeojid readihg of the Military 'traihj^g Poll . ! Bill whijjfi was dehftted-ih; tiie. House oi Representatives tonight? . j He -added/that ^as the eampaign against compulsory military \ training went ' Oii, v-misrepresentations would be made alm'ost amounting to'- f alsefroads: _ " ' v" • ,f The Prime" Minihterv wi(ile readihg ;fhe, .printed. explanatioi| -of • the proyjsipn:s'.goptained in the Bill, said that there w'ohld be tio distinctions whatever between Maori and Europeah votes. The1-' * total number of votes would be added to get 'the result of the [ referendum. As iiear as he could see, the date of the poll would be j August 8 or 10 and, in reply to Mr. Corbett, he said the closing of | schools was a little thing in comparison with the importance of the referendum. ^

Mr. Fraser said that it would prob- I ably take the miiitaiy machine nine j months to get into operation. Detaiis of. the training seheme could be discussed later — once the people gave an affirmative vote, a Bill would be introduced -giving elfect to the plan that had been drawn up — but at preseut it was thought best that youths should register "ou reachiug 18 years and d6 training in the following year. Gome would be 18 whgn they entered canip .aua olhers niight have turned ld. J * There were hoiiest diff'erenees ^ ot, opinion as t'o'the h&cessity' fdr £t rbfer- j S enduin but it was the •' Goveriimeiit 's . I policy. to eonsnlt the'- people.'' If- th^ I referendum were to be ' carfie'd,' tfte,, ■ sooner the befeter' '■ in O'rddr that tramj ing could b6"begun. ' Compulsoi'y - ser- | vice might have been intfoduced under j the powers of the* 1909 Defence Act but \ they were archaic and it would have j been against the spirit of the countr)- ; to use emergency wartime regulations ! unless there were absolute need. j Mr. Fraser mentioned that dui'ing the j preseut session there would be an Army ' Bill, an Air Force Bill and a Navy Bili, I bringing up-to-date the administration j of these forces. ( Dominion's Duty. j There was no objection to defending l* Xew Zealand unless by a few con scientious objeetors and by tnose obsess'ed with the superiority of u.e Kussian State. Mr. Fraser . said such' ini dividuals saw no need for smaii | democracies Faving defence forces but j ue\ er said a vvord about the 8oviet | army.'of 4,OQQ,000- PN^w Zealand could j not' diheharge'i^(fht^\^%^l^er me1n ' b§rg, 'of /the BriH|%ttX!y^^^^ltli. un--j less' compulsory sefvic^ wsfe* ihfroduce'd. i There was also an obligatioi^— oftfefr > overlooked— -to supply forces at'the r.ej quest of the Security CounciL of United j Nations. ' f' ■nu-'i ; Effect -oh Indtistry. j The Prime Ministei^gave. estimate j of the percentage of labour force which i would be alfCedted by the national ser- ! vice scheme, based on 9000 18-year-olllfe j being called up each year and the i labour force (infrluding- a,:rmed forces - and womei!) risire^ -from 1 554,000 in I 1950, ■ tp„ 563,000-m^ converj sion from man-week®4 6ci^ra^-uquivaleht ; of a fulltime withdrawal from the' j labour force; was mad^ .on.the basis ofj 48 workirig wepks ythrlj':' In 1950, j with 900'0-! rtre^iiitk f 6V i'4- s weeks, or. ' 120,000 man-wreeks, the equivalent or i fulltime WithdraWalS ' from "Ihe laboiir j force would be 2625 mal-es or .44 p,er ■ cent. In 1951 with 9000 for 14 weeks t and 900.0 for two weeks, the withdrawai j would be equivalent to 3000 or .5 per !, cent. Mr. Fraser said .the 1952 figure with 9000 for 14 weeks- and 18,000 for two weeks, would be an equivalent t" withdrawal of 3375 men or .55 of the j labour force. The 1953 figure witb [ 9000 for 14 weeks and 27,000 for twyo I weeks, would be equal to 3750 withI drawing from the labour force or .61 j per cent. In addition the building up j of the regular force from its presenr I strength of 7980 to 10,330, was equiva- [ lent to the withdrawal of a further j 2350 men or .42 per cent of the labour. ! force. i The estimated industrial distl'ibution

of 9000 18-year-olds was 3050 primary !industry, 2650 secondary industry, 660 transport and communication, 1320 distribution and finance, 440 public administration and professional, 160 domestic and personai services and Y.20 fulltime students. Discussing the cost of defence, the Prime Minister said the United Aingdom wa^ paying £15 2s per head, Australia £11 14s, Canada £11 19s and New Zealand at present £5 4s which, he. saia, would rise to £9 9s. . .. Mr.- Holland said he woulcj. nrge.t'he 1 people of the country to understand and. /appreeiate the need fqr defenee>.- The Opposition wanted. to see New Zealana.defiended and, though there was an enti.rely different conception of miJitary ■training — the Opposition would |ike f o , see Parliament decide the issue— the National Party, if the Governmqnt made provision for military training,' would support it. Mr. Holland asked the Prime Minister for an indication of the total cost of military training as propor d and Mr. Fraser replied that it would rise from £13,000,000 to a permanent £17,000,000. in 1955. Mr. Holland voicea objection to the taking of the poll in the middle of the week when industry would be held up. There was no justification for giving two hours olf — it would beeome three or four in many cases — and causing needless loss of production. The Bill should be altered to give - Saturday voting. , M.r,. Fraser said the matter would l^ei ; considered. If the .voting. were « dey layed-for another week or so, it eoiild be held, in the school. holidays anddtfiB, schools would not then be upset. ;• , Mr. Holland: What about . the factories? ' . F . V ... i Mi;. Fraser? It is only a question of whether we can get a representative vote. The debate wjll continue tomorrqw. !TT77r