Australian Excuse For N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 3 December 1949, Page 5

Australian Excuse For N.Z.

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

, Copyright)

SYDXEY, Dee. 2. Mr. Chifley was again silent on the New Zealand eleetion . result wnen speakmg at an Adelaide mee'ting last uight, but Mr. Calwell, replying to agi interjeetor, said: "There was a. Labour Government in power for 14 years in Xew Zealand. It has received a temi^orary setbae-k.' ; t He added: "The Queensland Goverarnent was in power for 14 years, and was. also defeated. The Liberal Gov.ernment came into power, bnt the 'Queensand people, ha-'ving found out their mistak.e, emptied out that Government at the next eleetion, and- Labonr has oeen in power for 17 eonsecutive years since. ; ' At another meeting Mr. Calwell elaborated on his policy of compulsory military training. "You have been told by the Press today that the main r.eason for the cter feat of the Labour Government was tne adoption of the conscription issue. ' If the Xew Zealand Labour Government was defeated because of the conscription referendum, then I challenge Mr. Menzies, who has often advocated conscription, to elaborate on his policy regarding this issue. The AustraiianLabour Party has never advocated conscription, either in peace or war, out there are times when a direction is necessary as in the last war.'* Division of Opinion In New South Wales, however, Labour speakers declared that the con- 1 scription issue had influenced the New Zealand polls. The Labour Party campaign director (Mr. W. Diekson) said fbat the eonseription issue had created a serious division of opinion, and that this was ! refleeted in the poll. A Labour members of the House of Representatives (Mr. D. IMulcafiy; said that the split in the Labour Party in New Zealand over the conscriptioh issue cansed its defeat. He added that Mr. Menzies had an idea of introducing conscription to Australia, and wouia put all the young men into military camps for various periods of training. This would have a very serious efi'ect on production. Liberal speakers say that the Sociallst Btate was tried out in New Zealand for 14 years under ideal conditions without suceess, and therefore shourd be .discarded in Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald publishes a cartoon showing Mr. Chifley m the garb of Lincoln, and with a bunch of flowers stan-ding by, while Alr. Fraser is ejected from the door marked New Zealand. The caption is: "I hope [ get a better reception tlian that from my girl. The Daily Telegraph cartoon features a politician carrying a-bag marked Xew Zealand Labour being kicked down Parliament steps witli a by-stander commeting, "IIullo. The Labour move ment seems to be on the go at last."