BILL TO PASS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 39, 16 February 1943, Page 3

BILL TO PASS

Overseas Use Of Australian Militia

A SENATOR'S DECISION N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Reed. 11 a.m. SYDNEY, this dayAustralia's Militia Bill, now before the Senate, is practically certain to. become law. One Opposition Senator has announced that he will oppose any amendment to the bill, thus nullifying the Opposition's majority in the Senate of 19 to 17. Other Opposition Senators may take a similar stand. , , "I hope and believe that conscription will become the foundation upon which our defence organisation will be built, and I accept the Militia Bill as a substantial advance towards that objective," said Senator Crawford (Queensland), in a declaration which is regarded as the beginning of the end of the serious conscription controversy." , . , . Directly concerned with the area of the service for which militiamen shall be liable, but in no way affecting the Militia Bill, an amendment to the National Security Act has been introduced by the Opposition Leader in the Senate, Senator McLeay. His object is to secure the removal of the proviso in the Act preventing the overseas use of militia. This amendment may be carried in the Senate, but it would then come before the House of Representatives as a private member's bill, so that Jrt could be put at the bottom of the agenda paper indefinitely. It is likely that such a bill woula not be considered during the life othe present Parliament.