THE FEDERAL VOTE FOR CONSCRIPTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 18, 16 October 1917, Page 5

THE FEDERAL VOTE FOR CONSCRIPTION

ANZAC LIU TRACED TO ITS SOURCE.

k statement regarding the fast publica tion of the false returns of the Am#vote on the conscription issue wasmade in the Senate recently by the sident of the Executive Council (Senator Millen), who said that he lind reaeon to believe that the statement polished in "Freeman's Journal, 2*L lbU "; „ copied by the Glassoit ■ JeralcL that ' the result was 40,000 Yes emanated from Victoria, flie _ n,ures hid been announced by unauthorised T>ersots at Sale on October 29 three day nrior to the'receipt here of the official progress returns, and at a time little more than half the votes bad been, counted. The incorrect figures were published on the Sunday followiM the pol n Australia, and on the day following a eletram signed "Overend" was lodged at Sale for the "A*e" newspaper, Melbourne. The telegram, winch was not P, ;!lftt wSdnrion of eleven o'clock \{a« at fit. Jlarv's Cathedral yesterday, Bishop Phelan. after removmo- his ycs - ments and standing outside the altar, announced that the Australian soldiers votes were 108,000 No and 43.000 Yes. He was not concerned as to now Bishop Phelan obtained bis information, but ho wished to bring before the House ana the couutrv exactly where the figures originated. They wore published in t rcoman's Journal" on January 5, ana there was just nice time to ;ct thorn homo by nost. It did not Toqmre a Sherlock Holmes to see what had taken Til ace. There was first, of all a creation iu Australia of this infamous mistake. Senator Pratten (N.S.W.): A deliberate lie. . , Senator Milieu: Tes, a lie. and Bishop Phelan had been the first to five pnb' Unity to it. Tt was quite possible that Bishop Phelan was used by some designing person.