DEFENCE POLICY IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 6

DEFENCE POLICY IN N.Z.

LABOUR FEDERATION’S INACTION

WATERSIDERS’ CRITICISM (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 24. The decision of the New Zealand Federation of Labour to defer consideration of the compulsory military service issue until the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser), returned from the Empire Prime Ministers’ Conference in London is attacked in a statement issued by the national executive of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union. The union this afternoon unanimously resolved to organise for an immediate conference through district trades councils which are affiliations of the federation.

There would be objections on principle if a Government under the Prime Ministership of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) introduced peace-time conscription, said the statement. but feeling against the measure would not be so vehement as in the case of a Labour Government with “its background of hostility to military service, especially conscription.” The statement referred to what it called the “contemplated gross betrayal of the Labour movement by Labour politicians,” and said that the union would demand the holding of a referendum on conscription among those who could be called for serjrice. The resolution expressed concern at the attitude of the national council of the Federation of Labour in accepting the position that the Prime Minister would decide when the conference would be held, and added that this was a matter for the industrial workers of New Zealand. The union requested that an immediate conference be held of the Federation of Labour to decide its policy on the issue.