THE REFERENDUM

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15767, 7 December 1916, Page 8

THE REFERENDUM

LABOUR RUN RIOT,

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) MELBOURNE. December 6. At the Inter-State Labour Conference delegates from every State, with the exception of West Australia, rigorously condemned Mr W. M. Hughes and his followers for refusing to opposo conscription, and carried a motion expelling from the movement all Federal members of Parliament who advocated conscription or formed another political party. Senator Gardiner opposed the motion, and members of the Federal Labour Party announced that they intended to move deposing him from the leadership of the party in the Senate. On being interviewed, Senator Lynch said that the expulsion was the undoubted limit of audacity and lawlessness. as the conference was illegal. The chief cause of the upheaval in the movement was due to the weakness and insincerity of the so-called leaders. In the West the leaders stood up to their duty 1 , while in the East they cowered in fear and trembling to irresponsible Trades Hall juntas. Had these spurious leaders of public thought "stood manfully to their guns and spoken instead of stifling thought, conscription would have been carried by half a million votes." *AN OUTEAGE." (Received December 6tli. 6.40 p.m.) MELBOURNE. December 6. [ After the Labour Conference had adopted the resolution expelling tho < onscriptionist Federal members, obj sections were raised about the State [ conscriptionist Thia led the remaining West Australian representatives to withdraw, leaving West Australia unrepresented. The executive of the West Australian Labour Federation cabled the secretary of the conference that its action in refusing to sit with the West Australians was regarded as an outrage. THE RECIPE FOR HARMONY. (Received I>ecember 6th, 10.15 p.m.) MELBOURNE, December 6. Harmony prevailed at to-day's session of the Labour Conference as the expelled members' were absent. Only three West Australian delegates were present. , A DESIRE FOR PEACE TERMS. (Received December 7th, 1 a.m.). MELBOURNE, December G. The Labour Conference resolved to urge Britain and the Allies to forimilato peace terms, and decided to send a copy of the resolution to the leader of the' Labour Party in Great Britain.