AUSTRALIA'S NEED.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 185, 25 April 1918, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S NEED.

REPORT OF THE RECRUITING , j CONFERENCE WHAT LABOUR DEMANDED .Melbourne, .April ">i .1 he report of the Governor-General's j RMi-uiling Conference shows that Air ' ; l utlor (Leader of the labour Party) sub- ! imttcd a statement embodying coiidi- ■! ■ ions upon which, in (he opinion of i (hose associated villi him, iho harmony '/ of ho community depended. These included : . ; A definite pronouncement (bat Ihe Gov- ' oriunont bad ihmllv abandoned conscrin- ! lion. ' • i That there was to be no iconomic con- ■ : scription. . ; Tito registration of doregistered unions. ■ ! Restorations of unions to their former i status. -'.: Eestoration of victimised unionists in ■ ; their employment. j Abolition of bogus unions and bu- '■'■< reaux. Repeal of all war precautions and regulations not vital to the conduct'of the .'• "■ war. \ ' ' " ') Abolition of the Press censorship and - the limitation ;of free speech except in'" ■'.'■■] relation to military news of advantage '.■ J to tho enemy. ' Immediate release of all persons' not .; ■guilty of criminal offences imprisoned in '.I connection with the conscription, peace | propaganda, and recruiting, and tlio re-- ■'; cent industrial troubles. Refund of fines and costs in connection with industrial pnd political prosecutions during the war period; and ! Immediato and effective steps to pro- ' tect soldiers' dependents and tho public ', against profiteering. Mr. Hughes's Reply. Mr. A\ T . AL Hughes submitted repliesdeclaring that voluntaryism tad been nailed to tho mast and would remain so; .'■ that the Government and employers' re- '.; presentativos had agreed that there ■ ■ should bo no economic ronscription; and. ; in regard to the' other demands,' agrcwl . j to meet them as far as practicable. ■';• After several resolutions were discussed and\ rejected, the conference adopted the '■■.-"• following resolution unanimously:— "That this conference, meeting in a '• time of, unparalleled emergency, resolves j to make all possiblo efforts to rvcrt de- . ' feat at tho hands cf German militarism, : i and urges the ueople of Australia to J unite/ in a wholehearted effort to secure ; necessary reinforcements under tho voluntary system."—Press Assn. .: DISMISSALS OF ELIGIBLES | STATEMENT BY EMPLOYEES', -i FEDERATION. .Sydney, April 21. ; 1 In .connection with the reports that ; some firms uro dispensing with the ser- - ; vices of single eligible men, tho president of the Employers' Federation states:' '! "The Eede'ration throughout the Commonwealth liavo agreed that there is to ' \ be: no economic conscription. As mili- j tary conscription has been defeated it is ! considered not desirablo cr right that .; employers 'should attempt to enforce a • form of conscription amongst their em- ; ployees. At the '• same ,timo employers ; are urged to give'-every.; possible- encour- ; agement of their employees to enlist."— Press Assn. ,