CAMPAIGN OF LIES AND VILIFICATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 85, 3 January 1918, Page 5

CAMPAIGN OF LIES AND VILIFICATION

THE REFERENDUM FIGHT IN AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND GROSSLY MISREPRESENTED

New Zealanders who have returned from Australia speak with amazement of the referendum campaign. They were , not surprised at tuo success of the anti-reinforcement party at tho poll. "The better elements in Australia were 6imply submerged for the time being by a wavo of lies, vilification, disloyalty and ignorance," said ono man yesterday. "I'ou people in New Zealand can have had no' idea of what was going on there.' You were told that the facts about your own country were being misrepresented, hut the lengths to which 'the 'antis' went wero almost beyond belief. And tho frankly disloyal elements—that exist, I suppose, in. every country—wero allowed to come to the top and flood tho country with their statements and their opinions.

"There were scenes that Australia will find it hard to forget. Mothers of soldiers, trying to address public meetings in support of the scheme that would ensure adequate reinforcements for their boys at tho front, wero howled down by mobs of able-bodied men who wanted to stay safely in Australia. The 'won't works' and the 'won't /fights,' the pro-Germans, the coldfooted individuals, and tho Sinn Feiners, made common causo for once, and by sheer noiso they carricd the Australian workers off their feet, Tho leaders of the 'anti' agitation did not pretend to believe that reinforcements could bo maintained by the voluntary system. It was terribly clear that very many of them would rather tho reinforcements were not maintained."

Another returned New Zealander produced some samples of the printed matter that was circulated /by tho "No" party. New Zealand appears to have been quoted very largely and without any regard at all for truth. Here, for example, is a portion of a manifesto that was issued under tho heading: "Now Zealand's Appeal to Australia" :— Well on towards five thousand of our young men are fugitive in their own country, or, maybe, somo other country. They 'are pursued from place to place; they arc hunted through the hills and tracked down in the towns. Both tho military police and tho civil police are employed against them. Private employers are forbidden to give them work under heavy penalties, although there is an enormous shortage of labour as the result of the. draining away of the ahlebodied workers. A hoy's own mother may ho sent to gaol for long year's with hard labour if she fails- to inform oil her son if he happens to be such a fugitive. Wo hove almost exhausted the First Division, and the military JMoeh reaches out for every lad as he attains his twentieth year. Tho married men are being forced into camp. Anxiety and trouble fill' every life; sorrow overshadows the davs of ovorv mother, every wife, every sweetheart. The transports that steam west and north month bv month carrv away a living freight of unwillingness. The partinn; scenes would baffle description. This particular sample of "anti" argument purports to have been written in New Zealand.