ANTI-CONSCRIPTION MEETING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1591, 25 July 1916, Page 3

ANTI-CONSCRIPTION MEETING.

GATHERING IN SYDNEY BROK BN UP.

Sydney, July 24.

Sixty tlionsn ltd people a (tended an anti-conscription meeting in the Domain. When it was attempted to eavry a motion expressing nne(.unpromising’ hostility to eouseriptiou, the crowd broke the police cordon and I'oreed the speakers to desist.. Further meetings have been prohibited.

[Recently soldiers in uni Conn have been prominent at public meeting's, and in particular they have taken lively steps in connection wild the anti-conscription movement (says the Sydney Sun of 19th instant). Soldiers who are going to the front or have returned naturally l'ee,l (hat they are vitally concerned in such mailers, .Although trouble has occurred between them and anli-coiiscriplion speakers, as was instanced in. a Police Court case yesterday, there is no record in Sydney ot their having taken such drastic action as some of (heir brethren did at a meeting for a. similar purpose in a London hall, when the men in khaki ejected the conveners, and, taking charge of the proceedings, delivered recruiting speeches. In fact, in yesterday’s case it was (he soldiers who were aggrieved and insulted. However, action has been taken by the military authorities which will have tin; effect of securing for anti-con-scriptionisls freedom from interference with their meetings—even the mild interference of an interjection —unless the later have; discarded their uniforms fur the occasion, which in present conditions is a pretty effective general prohibition. This is not the promulgation of any new military order, but the republication in district orders in signilicant large black typo of a. standing order referring to political meetings. There is good reason to believe that certain representations made by civil administrators is at the back of it, and that it is intended to apply to anti-conscription meetings. The application of the order is the more interesting in view of the contention of both conscript ionisls and anti-couscriptionists that the question is not a political but a. national one. The text of the order is as follows: —“Officers and soldiers are prohibited when in uniform. or on duty to institute or attend any meeting, demonstration, or procession for any religious or political purpose.” The order also applies to bands of regiments or corps.]