BRITISH NEWS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 89, 16 May 1916, Page 6

BRITISH NEWS.

COMPULSION. DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT. / MELBOURNE, May 11. Both Federal Houses lengthily debated conscription, without arriving at finality. In the House of Representatives Mr Joseph Cook (Leader of the Opposition) attacked the Government tor not adopting compulsion. He queried whether Australia had attained the maximum effort or output, when 120,000 single men refused to enlist. lie believed that a referendum would result in an overwhelming vote in favour of compulsory service. The Minister of Finance (Mr lliggs) stated that the Government had information which it was uuable to disclose. This information had been given to members at a secret meeting on the previous evening. Mr Catts advocated a secret session to discuss the situation without restriction. In the Senate Senator 'Milieu deprecated comparisons between the effortsof the various dominions. The most convincing argument demonstrating that more men were needed was that Britain had found it necessary to adopt compulsion. He believed we had exhausted the possibilities of the voluntary system, and was therefore of opinion that we must resort to compulsion. THE DERBY GROUPS. EXTREAI.ES CALLED UP. LONDON, May 11. The attestors tinder the Derby group US years of age, and also those of 41 years, have been called up for June 13. ENGLISHMEN ABROAD. AFFECTED BY COMPULSION BILL. MELBOURNE, May IJ. In the Cmmonwealth Parliament Mr Pearce (Acting Prime Minister) stated that, though he had not been officially informed by the Imperial authorities to that effect, he anticipated that as soon as the Conscription Bill passed the British Parliament all Englishmen resident abroad would be automatically called up. Those resident here would probably be given the option of enlisting in the Australian forces or travelling to England and ■enlisting there.