AUSTRALIA AND THE WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 143, 16 June 1917, Page 9

AUSTRALIA AND THE WAR.

ATTITUDE OP THE NEW P ARMAMENT. ■WILL CONSCRIPTION BE DISCUSSED? The Federal political atmosphere has not been so clear for several years ac it is just now. There ie only one cloud on t!he horizon—the question of conscription (says the Melbourne "Age"). So overwhelming was the vote in favour of the Government at the recent election that it has removed the ever present possibility of a crisis. With parties so divided as they were before the appeal to the country a crisis was an almost weekly happening. Even politicians themselves conic to regard them with equanimity. Instead of hurting the po-litical world into a slate of excitement, they hart almost ccaeed to create comment. The circumstances are now completely changed. Instead of facing a hostile Senate, the Government is in tie happy position of having absolute control of both Houees. It has a majority of 30 in the House of Representatives, and a majority of 14 in the Senate. Nothing but internal dissension can interrupt its peaceful reign.

Few parties have'contained so many elements likely to cause difi'erences as does the present Federal Ministerial party. It is a fusion of men whose views on certain, questions, which must inevitably anise at some time or otihcr, are as wide apart as the poles themselves. Only the necessities of the war can keep them together. And this is where the conscription cloud obtrudes itself. As is well known, the great majority of the members of the Coalition were. last year, strong- advocates of tflie introduction of the compulsory principle. In very many cases their constituents paid no heed to their advice, and it was nothing but the fear of a repetition of the referendum vote which led to the abandonment of the issue of the general election, and -tihe substitution of the pledge that the subject would not again be touched except by another referendum, and then only in the event of the tide of battle turning againet the Allies. But there are two men, at least, who were not a party to that pledge, and wfho are consequently not bound by it. One of them—Sir Wiiliam Irvine—has repudiated it in the plainest possible language. A hundred times and more lie has declared that in his opinion Australia will not have done its duty in this war until it 'has conscripted its manhood. He has expressed further his belief that the necessities of the nation demand its Immediate application. Some members are asking: whether a man who has so persistently placed this iseue before everything else will eit idly by without endeavouring- to impress upon those who cannot see as well as he the seriousness of the position. They do not think he will, and coneider it possible that he will test the sincerity of those who profea to be desirous of "winning the war' by submitting, a motion declaring that conscription is urgently necessary. In view of Sir. William Irvine's uncompromisingattitude and public professions on the question many of his fellow members are of the opinion that he may take some action, of this kind either next wen- or when the AdHrPK«-in Reply is moved in the House of Representatives in July.

The meeting of Parliament next week will not be attended with the usual ceremonies. All the members of the House of Representatives will, of course, have to be sworn in, probably by commissioners, but none of the new Senators wai be able to take their seats until after 30th June. In these circumstances the customary opening ceremony by the Governor-General will not take place until early in July. The speech setting out the business to be submitted for the consideration of members will aUj be postponed until tfhat- time. The first business of the newly-constituted House of Repreaentativ s will be to elect its Speaker, and in this connection Mr. Chanter, who acted during Jlr. McDonald's absence through illness during the concluding weeks.of the last Parliament, is considered to have the best prospects of success. Mr. W. E. Johnson is, [however, expected to press him closely. After this task has been disposed of, the Chairman of Committees and the various House and sessional committees will also be appointed, and the Treasurer (Sir John Forrefit) will follow with a Supply Bill, on which he will make a etatement as to the financial position of the Commonwealth. The Budget speech will not be delivered, however, for a couple of months.

Tiie consideration cf the Supply Bill will in all probability he the only business dealt with until the. new senat&rs arc able to take their places in July. Not until then will the ordinary legislative business be proceeded with. A fairly long session is anticipated. War questions will, of course, be the principal business, and in order to meet the ever-growing financial responsibilities it is expected that there will be an increase in one or two of the existing forms of taxation. It. is not considered likely tiiat there will be any new departure in this particular sphere. Authority AviM probably be. sought for I he. raising of a further loan. The Government intends to proceed with the War Time Profits Bill, giving consideration to new businesses and exceptional industries, and to develop its scheme for the repatriation of soldiers and their settlement on the land. It is arranging to spend £22,000.000 in tihis manner. Although the Government has pledged itself to revise the tariff in a protectionist direction as soon as circumstances make it possible, the only action likely to be taken in the near future is the regulation of imports, particularly with reference to luxuries. It proposes to act immediately on the report of the specially appointed board, which commenced ite investigations last week.

There is an impreeeion ajnongst members that before the session closes the Government will yield to the popular demand for electoral reform in the direction of preferential and proportional voting, realising that the swing of thej political pendulum mar, if the existing obsolete system is not amended, relegate tiiem to obscurity just as effectively as rt did a few years ago. They had not the power to alter it then. They have it now. Amending arbitration legislation to make the court more easy of aceusa is a:Iso spoken of. The Government pledges itself to wise and prudent economy in expenditure, and to regulate prices in any industry where snch action is considered necessary to protect the producer from loss and the consumer from exploitation. Now that the final election figures are known, members are beginning to arrive in Melbourne in (readiness for the pre-aeaeional meetings of their respective parties to fee held. aexb'wwSi " " L»"* :