COMPULSORY SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25834, 20 June 1949, Page 6

COMPULSORY SERVICE

PRIME MINISTER TO MEET L.R.C.

DISCUSSION ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON

A special meeting of the North Canterbury Labour Representation Committe has been convened for next Sunday afternoon to discuss the conscription issue with the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser). The meeting will be in private. The Prime Minister will be meeting party supporters, who, by vote, have already expressed their opposition to conscription. Some members of the Labour Representation Committee have already intimated that they will take the public platform in opposition to conscription during the campaign before the referendum is and it is clear at this .early stage that the Prime Minister will be involved in brisk discussion at the meeting. Christchurch members of Parliament who are also expected to attend the meeting are the Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs), the Minister of Health (Miss M. B. Howard), and Messrs J. Mathison and R. M. Macfarlane. The Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) is unlikely to attend, as his electorate is controlled by the Riccarton Labour Representation Committee. Although the Prime Minister’s report to the annual conference Of the Labour Party suggested that all the Christchurch members had supported conscription, only Mr Mathison has so far spoken in public in support of compulsory military service. Mr H. G. Kilpatrick, who has been selected by the Labour Party to contest the Hurunui seat in November, has openly opposed conscription in an address and similar views are reporteq in the Labour movement to be held by Mr E. A. Sharp, who will again contest the Selwyn seat against Mr J. K. McAlpine, M.P., who has publicly affirmed that the Government, should bring in conscription.