AUSTRALIAN ARMY

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 55, 2 September 1916, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN ARMY

REFERENDUM ON CONSCRIPTION

TO MAINTAIN THE UNITS SENT,

MELBOURNE, Ist September. In the House, Mr. Hughes, examining the Government's proposals to ascertain whether they were adequate, said : " Britain has now told us in plain words what she expected us to do. If the proposals are inadequate, they ought unanimously to be rejected." He considered they were adequate. Mr. Hughes computed that the troops at present available in camp here numbered 43,512, in England 44,511, en route 15,000. Allowingifor wastage, the absorption of the reinforcements at the present rate would leave only three thousand men in England at the end of January. The Government's proposals wDI provide new men here at the same rate as they are depleted in England.

Mr. Hughes emphatically insisted that the referendum was the best and speediest method. The only alternative would have been an election, which might have led to chaos. He believes -the people will carry conscription by an overwhelming majority. "If the people fail," he said, " then God help Australia." Mr. Hughes, continuing, said:—"lf it could be' assumed that the war would end in December, then the present position would be satisfactory, but it would be criminal folly to assume any such thing. It .would be better to be prepared for another year of war. Our clear duty is to provide 32,500 men in September, and 16,500 monthly thereafter. The total required to the end of March would be 131,500."

The debate was adjourned.

Mr. Hughes later announced that soldiers over twenty-one years of age in France, Egypt, Rabaul, and elsewhere would be afforded facilities to vote on 28th October, • when the referendum would be taken whatever happens, the writs to issue on 18th September. No naturalised enemy subject will be permitted to exercise the franchise.

In the Senate, Mr. Pearce, Defence Minister, defended the referendum proposals, adding: "The Government does not want to exercise compulsion. We are against it. If the voluntary system provides tho necessary, number, the Government will not resort to compulsion. With the exception of the' cable message just received from the Army Council, the Imperial Government has never asked Australia for men. Even now we are not asked to increase our military assistance, but having brought certain units into the field, we are asked to keep them at full strength."