REFERENDUM WITH THE INITIATIVE.

Evening Star, Issue 14626, 24 July 1911, Page 2

REFERENDUM WITH THE INITIATIVE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The great diversity of opinion on the Compulsory Military Training Bill, as evidenced by the division on the motion at the recent meeting of Presbyterian clergy, where the anti-militarians had a majority of three, and the opposition shown in other parts of the Dominion, prove beyond dispute that a referendum of the people should be taken on this and other great questions, such as Bookmaker v. Totalis itor and Freehold v. Least hold, as these questions directly affect the masses of the people. Sir. Joseph Ward, Bart., has implied, if not actually said, while banqueting with Imperialists, that the people welcomed the Dreadnought gift, and approve of what the Prime Minister calls universal training, tactfully and diplomatically leaving out that nasty word " compulsory." The magistrates say young men should obey the law. I quite agree with them, providing the people approve and have a direct vote, per referendum, in making tho law. But accoiding to the Rev. A. Cameron and A. Don this obnoxious Bill was rushed through the House, and the people never asked the M P.s nor the Prime -Minister for it. I hope this coming election that a Referendum Bill will be put on the Statute Book, and that the people will be a democracy in fact, not in theory. Let the Liberal party tru6t the people, and the people will trust them.—l am, etc., Radical. July 24.