MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1567, 22 June 1916, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

AND FLAXMILL EMPLOYEES’ UNION. A number of members of the Flaxmill Employees’ Union keenly resent the action of an extreme section of the Union compromising all members by the resolutions passed at the “mass meeting held at Palmerston N. last Saturday week in respect to the Military Service Bill. We arc informed that the attempt to compel members of the Union to sign a pledge to go on strike when (he Bill becomes law will result in failure. As one employee says : “The Union executive arc asking us to oppose compulsion, yet the Union members are subjected to a more stringent form of (‘(impulsion by agitators, and these men will find that, there is a limit to compulsion even in industrial unions.” He adds that because a man is COMPELLED to join the union it doesn’t follow that the union owns his body and soul, and lie and many others are not going to he compelled to follow in the footsteps of the Roger Casement dupes.

The Manawatu Standard in commenting upon the “mass meeting” resolutions and the Premier’s reply, thereto, says : —“There is something very refreshing about the replies made by the Prime Minister to the resolutions passed by the United Federation of Labour and ibe Manawatu Flaxmill Employees’ Union, in regard to ihe Military Service, or (as they prefer to call it) Conscription Bill. It is high time some one in authority spoke clearly and intelligibly upon the only question that is of paramount concern to the people of New Zeaaland today, and Mr Massey, stopping into the breach, has said just what it was needful someone should say. Certainly no one could have placed matters in a clearer or more intelligent light than tin' leader of the

National Government has done,

. . Mr Massey's reply to the scarcely dissembled threats of the “mass meeting” is couched in equally impressive and dignified terms. The threats are quietly ignored, and the members of the Union, equally with their leaders, who are really responsible for the absurd resolutions carried by the Union at its close meeting on Saturday, June 10th, are reminded that the ‘first duty of the Government is to preserve law and order, and to maintain constitutional authority in the country,’ and that the Government is ‘bound further to protect and defend the nation against its enemies both from without and within.’ The significance of the last few words is unmistakable. Mr Massey assures the llaxmill employees that the Military Service Bill, when it reaches the Statute Book, as it will do in a few days, ‘will be administered by the Government with the strictest impartiality, without fear or favour, and in the best interests of the nation,’ from which he expresses the hope that the Union members ‘do not wish to dissociate themselves.’ The Bill, Mr Massey rightly contends, was introduced by the National Government as a matter of duty, 1 lie first consideration being (he public safety, which is unquestionably imperilled by the present war, and any combination of workers —be they llax hands, or industrial revolutionists —that is organised to resist or defeat the plus the Government has in hand for the defence of the country, can only be regarded as a traitorous organisation and will have to be dealt with accordingly. That appears to be the underlying, if unexpressed, idea permeating Mr Massey’s replies to both the Labour Federationisls and the llaxworkers.”

RESOLUTIONS REBERRED TO CROWN LAW OB BICE. Mr W. IT. Bield (Otaki) asked the Minister of Labour on Tuesday afternoon whether the Coverninent intended to take notice of the. publicly announced threat of certain persons claiming to represent; the Ilaxmill workers that they will resist the operation of conscription by striking. He slated Unit it. appeared possible Unit a, great, many Jlaxmill workers who were respectable married men with families ran a risk of being involved in industrial trouble if this threat were fullilled. The Right Hon. W. E. Massey ; All I can say at present is that the document referred to by the honourable member has been referred to the Crown Law Office.