THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1916 AUSTRALIA AND CONSCRIPTION.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 222, 31 October 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1916 AUSTRALIA AND CONSCRIPTION.

"We nothing extenuate, nor let down auaht in malice."

Although the final figures are not yet available of the referendum taken in Australia on the question of compulsory military service, the results so far obtainable tend to show that the Commonwealth is opposed to conscription. The decision must be regarded as particularly unfortunate, seeing that it will be blazoned forth in Germany as indicative that England has lost the support of one of the greatest of her overseas Dominions. It is almost incomprehensible to believe that the people of Australia are disinclined to lend support to the Mother Country so as to carry the war through to a victorious issue and it is to be hoped that the voluntary system will still be found capable of providing the quota of reinforcements for which Australia pledged itself to the Imperial authorities. The situation is undoubtedly a grave one, as if Australia shirks natural duty now, could it reasonably be expected that Imperial troops and warships would be willing to render aid in the event of Australia at any future date being threatened with invasion ? The actual circumstancos are, however, that political issues rather than hostility to militarism are responsible for the result of the voting. Australia is a Socialistic country, and the cry of Labour has been that a conscription of wealth should accompany a conscription of bodies. It will now be for the Commonwealth Statesmen to devise some means by which the fair fame of Australia will not be besmirched in the eyes of all true patriots of the British Empire.