MILITARY SERVICE ACT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15774, 15 December 1916, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE ACT.

ATTfTUDE OF WEST COAST COAL MIXERS. (rr.ESS .ASSOCIATION TF.I.F.Gr.AM.) GREYMOL'TH, December 14. All the coal miners in this district arc working full time, and there appears to bo nothing to disturb the ordinary employment in the way _ working conditions. Labour organisations, however, am holding meetings throughout the Grev district an d passing resolutions asking for the repeal or compulsory military service and th° takin" of ;i rfferondnm. Mr I'Wobb. M.P.. and Mr E. .J, Howard, of Christchureh, are. the principal speakers at these ir.cotings against conscription. OTAOO LABOUR COUNCIL'S DECISION. (special to "inE tress.") DUN ED IN. December 14. The Otago Labour Council has decided not to bo represented at the conference of Labour organisations at Wellington on the '20th to discuss the repeal of the Military Service Act. The Council has protested against the attempt of the Government to assume a dictatorship over the people per medium of the war regulations, and especially denounced the regulations declaring "seditious intention and seditious tendency'' to mean "intention or tendency to excite disaffection against the Government:"'

At the quarterly mooting 01" the (Canterbury Timber Yards, Sawmills. and Coalvards Employees' 1 nion. held on Tuesday, a circular was received, signed bv the secretaries of four large labour organisations, inviting the I'nion to be represented at a conference at Wellington on the 50th instant, to discuss what steps, if any, should be taken to secure the repeal of the Military Service Act. It was resolved that the I'nion bo represented at- the conference, that tho delegate be instructed to vote for the repeal of tho Act, and that Mr Hiram Hunter bo appointed delegate, if available: if not. that ho appoint a proxy-