WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 27 October 1916, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

MISREPRESENTATION OF LABOUR. A PROTEST. (Special Correspondent) WELLINGTON, Oct 25. The publication of the manifesto or the National Executive of the Labour Party of New Zealand, stating that “the organised workers of New Zealand are opposed to conscription” and encouraging the 1 anti-conscriptionists in Australia to persist in their opposition to the Federal Government’s proposals has occasioned a good deal of surprise and not a little indignation here. Numbers of unionists as well as non-unionists are protesting that the National Executive of the Labour Party, as it calls itself, has no right to speak on behalf of more than a mere fraction of the workers and no right to commit even that fraction to an endorsement of the disloyal attitude of the anti-compulsionists in the Commonwealth. The serious part of the business is that the manifesto is signed by responsible men like the Hon. J. T. Paul, Mr. J. MqCombs, and Mr. A. Walker, who, by their very position in Parliament will gain n hearing they never would obtain with out that distinction. These legislators have not even suggested any alternative to conscription by which Australia’s contributions to the Imperial Forces could be maintained, and apparently rather than accept a disagreeable measure under the stress of circumstances they Avould allow Australia and New Zealand to incur the shame of failing in their obligations to the Mother Country. THE WORKERS’ ATTITUDE.

That, at any rate, is the interpretation the sane workers "are putting upon this latest indiscretion of the poli ticians who are emulating the three tailors of Tooley Street by presuming to speak on behalf of the organised workers of New Zealand. What the great majority of the workers think of their presumption may be judged from some remarks made by an old hand on the water-front this morning: “Don’t you worry,” was his comforting counsel, “Paul and McCombs are simply advertising themselves—badly, of course, but still advertising. They think that because the workers don’t like war and high prices, and Bill Massey they’ll do anything to embarrass this Government or any other Government. But that’s not how the fellows here, the great bulk of them, are feeling. They want to get the war over as quickly as possible, by winning it, and when that’s done they’ll settle their accounts with the politicians. If rich and poor are given a square deal under conscription it’s the best way, and even if it wasn’t we couldn’t ask the Germans to stop shooting till we found another.’’ That tersely expresses the views of ninety per cent, of the workers one encounters on the wharves and in the streets. They want no domestic broils while a common enemy is at the gate, and so long as they get that square deal they, are going to do nothing to provoke them. MEAT PRICES. The news cabled from London that Mr. Massey has arranged for the payment by the Imperial authorities of an increased price for New Zealand meat, which, it is estimated, will amount to as much as a million h year, has been received with unfeigned satisfaction by the producers and their representatives, but with some reservation by the great body of consumers. When the Prime Minister promised in Parliament to look into this matter when he reached Home, it was understood his chief concern wouxd ho to ascertain what became of the nuat not required for natural purposes. The farmers were not clamouring for a higher price for their product, but were protesting against meat not need ed for the Army being passed on to speculators who were making huge profits out of the British public. The suggestion was that they did not mind making sacrifices for the Empire, but were distinctly averse to assisting the machinations of jobbing butchers and American meat rings. Now Mr. Massey seems to have got a higher price, but to have failed to repair the leakage of which the farmers specifically complained. Fuller information may place the matter in a more satisfactory aspect, hut at present it looks as if the sole result of the negotiations had been to extract another million from the sorely burdened Mother Country. COMPULSORY SERVICE!

It appears probable now that no ballot under the compulsory clauses of the Military Service Act will be taken this month. The Minister of Defence hopes that with the assistance .of clause 35 of the Act, which provides that shirking families of brothers may be called up summarily, he will be able to satisfy his immediate requirements and so leave the Government Statistician with more time to complete his records and the military au-

thorities with better opportunities to constitute the Medical Boards. It rs expected that about 500 men will be obtained under the clause and with this number available the Minister will be able to carry on for another month without resorting to compulsion. Mr. Allen wishes it to be stated again that there still is time for men affected by the clause to put themselves outside its operation ny coming forward as volunteers. Those liable for service are members of families belonging to the first division (unmarried, widowers without children, or married since May 1915); where there are two or more sons wno have not yet enlisted. The object of the clause is, of course, to secure equality of sacrifice as between families and though the Minister is enforcing it very reluctantly he is determined to leave no loop-hole for escape. In this he has public opinion behind his authority and he certainly cannot be fairly charged with administering the law hastily or harshly.