COMPULSION WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1915, Page 5

COMPULSION WANTED.

LIVELY MEETIXG IX DUXEDIX. • STATE WORKERS HECKLE MIXISTER. Tlio recruiting meeting held at Hflt* side railway workshops, near Dunedin, at lunch-time last week had an unexpected development. The men after giving the Minister of Defence a bad quarter of an hour, frankly invited the Minister to introduce compulsory national service and emphatically disavowed the assertion that there were any shirkers in the workshops.

The Rev. R. S. Gray, one of the speakers, declared that the man who could go to the front and would not go was a pro-Gorman every time and wa» a neutral who was helping to lot* the battle.

When Lieutenant-Colonel Stoneham, with registration cards in his hand rose as though to terminate the meeting, the men appeared anxious to acquire further information. The proceeding! thence onward arc thus reported in the Dunedin Star:—A workman asked the Minister whether men who had volunteered at the outset of the war without permission, and had in consequence given up their positions, would be reinstated. He desired the Minister to exercise influence with the Minister of Railways in this matter. The Minister replied that he was oplv expressing a personal opinion, but if men broke the regulation* they did wrong. The workman: Xo, they did not. They voluntarily resigned. ,

The Minister: That alters the position, and I will do my best.

Another workman proeedeed to make remarks about the cost of living.' The Minister pointed out that that subject represented a very difficult question. Tlie Government was attempting to do all it possibly could. There was no doubt that had the Government not imported wheat the price of flour and bread would have been much higher. A voice: What about the price of meat?

The Minister: Another difficult problem.

The voice: Very difficult for thou who have to )iay for it. A question which appeared to secure general approval was in effect thi«: How could the Oovernment reasonably expect to get recruits when men volunteered and their places were filled by eligible men from the Old Country and el«». where? * s

The Minister: I do not Know of that being done. 1 think you are wrong. The questioner: I tell you, Mr. Allen. You can find it going on at Hillside and elflewhere in the service. We men (eel these things. The Government are not doing their duty. They are humbugging the men.

Mr. Allen replied that the Railway Department was not' under his control, but as far a* lie knew the [daces of men who hail volunteered for Ncrvice were being kept open for them. The flovernment would not neglect its duty to the men who'had gone to the front. An elderly workman proceeded to inform the Minister that the card was In his (Mr. Allen's) hand. Tt lav with the Minister of Defence. The great feeling of the sheds was that the Minister slrouhl play it. Mr. Cray had said that the elder]•.> men should point out their duty to the younger men, hut if a man tried that on he would not be able to -ee for a wee]; (laughter). The men wanted service made compulsory fapplause). Every ea<e would then be tried mi its merits /hear, hear). Tin' 'Minister: Are you in favor of compulsion? A clui'us of workmen (emphatically): Yes. Give it to us. " ■

A xmee: Slurried men n s well as single men want it.

The man who introduced this subject, continuing snM: T.octk heYc. Mr. Allen (the tone was friendly). Every man, both married and silicic, u willing to fight. 1 have got a family. Imt am willini; t» «o wlien the time come*. There are men in the shops who have got mothers and sisters to look after, but, provided everyone lias the same chonfe they are ready to go. Yon have got the card in your hand (o make even- man go. T say play the card. There are no shirkers in this shop. The men are perfectly willing to do their duty. They would welcome compulsion. ' A few minutes ago you said ''God save the, man who did not do his duty." I say, "God save you if you do not do yours" (laughter and applause). Every mint fn this crowd will light. The Minister ha« only to sav the word.

The Minister; I have appealed to them [ to got their names on the register. The questioner: It lies with you. Mr. Allen: I do not want to advocate compulsion. Is it necessary? The questioner: It is. The Minister: I have made an appeal to the men here and elsewhere to do their duty. If democracy is tme every man will do his duty without compulsion. There were many more questions touching pensions, railway fares to and from the camp, the fact thai men have to pay half boat fare (which i» considered unjust), the position of apprentice! volunteering and other matters. Lieutenant-Colonel Stoneham alio had a question to answer and satisfied the men, who loudly applauded him. The meeting closed with the «^»in»