AUSTRALIA TO-DAY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 15, 17 July 1918, Page 8

AUSTRALIA TO-DAY

RECRUITING AND POLITICS.

Some remarks on his observations during a tour of the Commonwealth were ■made to a Post reporter yesterday by Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., of Wellington, who has just returned from Australia. While in Melbourne, Mr. Wright had the opportunity of being present at a deputation which waited upon the Act-ing-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth (Mr. W. A. Watt), with reference to the fixing of meat prices. The members of the deputation were farmers, and were certainly not Labour' supporters, but from what Mr. Wright heard on that and other occasions, he judged that the producers were not at all satisfied with the work of the National Government. There were indications that they would form a party of their own, and that the next elections would see big changes.

Pcccle of Australia in many parts appeared to take little interest in the war. '.Recruiting was being carried on with vigour, but it was an uphill task. There were marches in the main towns—with women in khaki—recruiting rallies, and meetings everywhere; but apparently Australia's experience was the same as New Zealand's bad. been when voluntary recruiting was still mainly relied on — that the meetings were not attended by the eligible men. The Winunera, disaster, news of which arrived while Mr. Wright was in Melbourne, created a profound sensation, but had no visible effect on the recruiting returns.. Mr. Wright mentioned that the overland railways between- Sydney, Melbourne, and Forth were now obtaining more passenger traffic than formerly, since people presumably deemed this method of travel safer than, the coastal steamer routes at thepresent time. As bearing on both politics and recruiting, Mr. Wright stated that the Trades and Labour Council in Melbourne had decided to fly the red flag from its building. Up to the time of his leaving Australia, however, this decision had not been put into operation.