COMPULSION.

Evening Star, Issue 15915, 22 September 1915, Page 6

COMPULSION.

I MR THOMAS'S ACTIVITIES. STIFFENING THE RAILWAYMEN, EXCEPT AS TO WAGES. London 'Times' and Sydney 'Sun' Semcei. LONDON. September 21. *v \s -i H- Tnomas ' M -P., secretary of the Railway-men's Association, in an important speech to railwayfnen, appealed to tnem for moderation of their demands tor increased wages. Ho also repeated his warning to the Government of the working men's feeling against conscription, adding : "Let them be given a fair opportunity of showing that the voluntary system is not a failure." THE AUSTRALIAN MOVEMENT A BISHOP'S APPEAL. "FACE FACTS AND CEASE BLUSTER." SYDNEY, September 22. (Received September 22, at 8.15 a.m.) The Bishop of Bathurst, in his presidential address to the Anglican Diocesan Synod, fervently supported the Universal Service League. He said : " There is a very real danger of our being badly worsted in this war, not because we are lacking in resources, but because of our democratic disability "to control all the available resources at one time." He ridiculed voluntaryism and the statement that England had always relied on voluntaryism, reminding his hearers of the pressgangs in former days. He deprecated I the sentiment that one volunteer was worth 10 conscripts. "It is time," he said, " that we are done with this silly British bluster. The skill and courage of other troops are equal to our own. Nothing but conscription is able to meet the terrible wastage, and consequently Kitchener's new armies are joining in. To my mind, it is as clear as day that either conscription or our acceptance of defeat is the only course open to us. History lias shown that compulsory levies tight equally well with voluntary ones when the cause is a national one. The example of the great democracies of France and Italy is enough to show how insincere are the protestations of those who appeal to democracy to oppose what is essentially a democratic policy." MELBOURNE, September 22. (Received September 22, at 8.40 a.m.) A _ Victorian branch of the Universal Service League has been established. MUNITION MAKING. MANY FIRMS TENDER. MELBOURNE, September 22. (Received September 22, at 9.25 a.m.) At a meeting of the Federal Munitions Committee, Senator Pearce announced that all the States were tendering for the manufacture of munitions except South Australia and Tasmania. Private firms would be paid a flat rate of 21s for each complete shell body up to 31st March, 1916. There is no "imit as to the quantities that may be delivered bv the firms up to that date. WESTRALIAN WORKERS. PERTH, September 22. (Received September 22, at 9.25 a.m.) The Engineers' Trade Union have agreed to work three shifts without overtime°payment in connection with the manufacture of munitions. WAR PENSIONS. MELBOURNE, September 22. (Received September 22, at 9.25 a.m.) Up to the present 955 war pension claims have been proved. These involve a Government expenditure totalling £30,000 per annum. g NATURALISED ALIENS MAY KETATN GOVERNMENT BILLETS. SYDNEY, September 22. (Received September 22, at 8.40 a.m.) In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Mr Holman stated that there were 25 naturalised men and women of German birth in the New South Wales Public Service, and the (Government had decided to retain them in the service. Neither the other States nor the Federal Government were interfering or intending to interfere with naturalised enemy subjects in their respective employment so long as the? showed no sign of disloyalty. JOFFRE NIBBLES AWAY. . LONDON, September 21. Hie High Commissioner reports: On iha right bank of the canal, between the Aisne and the Marne, the Allies have gained a footing on both sides of the Pont Sapingneul. In the Vosges sensible - progress has been made by means of grenades in the trenches at Hartmanns-Weilerkopf. A dirigible of the Allies bombed the railway junction at Amagne Lucquy, east of Rethel, during the night. There has been efficient artillery action on tho rest of the front. HONCR TO DR WOODHOUSE. At the meeting of the Otago University Council yesterday Dr Benham moved the resolution .-—"That the council of the Otago University have heard with pleasure and pride that a former member of the University, Dr Randall Woodhouse, has received the "honor of being mentioned in despatches by Field-marshal Sir John French for the good work 'he did as medical officer in the fighting line in France, and the council hereby offer their congratulations to Dr Woodhouse; that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Ms mother, I Mrs Woodhouse." The motion was carried amidst applause.

QUEEN CARNIVAL. SOLDIERS' QUEEN. The final meeting of the Soldiers' Queen executive was held yesterday. Great regret was expressed at the absence of Mrs Hudson, through illness. It was resolved to draw the art union for Mr Reynolds's section and the remaining raffles during the present week. The hon. treasurer handed in a statement of receipts and expenditure as follows:—Receipts: Dlona)tions, £2,014 19s sd; art union tickets, £1,243 14s 6d; 2d tickets, £224 18s 4d; raffles, £657 2s 8d ; concerts and theatre. £265 7s lid; 'Sketeher,' £173 6s; collections, sales, etc., £1,231 14s 7d; total, £5,840 14s 7d. Expenditure: General expenses, £404 6s; handed to Queen Carnival, £5,427 Is 6d ; cash in hand, £9 7s Id ; total, £5.840 14s 7d. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the various committees and helpers who had worked so willingly for the cause. A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr Salmond for Ms able administration in his capacity as chairman. TRADESMEN WANTED. A few men of the following trades are urgently required, and should report to the group commander, St. Andrew street: Field Engineers.—Bricklayers and carpenters. Miscellaneous Field Engineers.—Drivers. Signal Service.—Motor cyclist. Army Service Corps.—Motor mechanics, drivers, saddler, baker, butcher, clerk, storeman, drivers. Drivers must be accustomed to the care and management of horses, and all tradesmen must be fully qualified. Motor mechanics must be skilled mechanics, in addition to being able to drive motors;" and the cyclist must also be a mechanic, in addition to being able to ride. Applicants for these positions must apply at once. PASSED AS FIT. The following men passed as fit for active service last evening: Thomas Ness, hairdresser, Kaikorai. . John 0. Bambery, engine-driver, Kaikorai. James Shields (Imperial Yeomanry) metal worker, Dnnedin. " ' Thomas Ritchie, slaughterman, Bumside. Peter John Anderson, teacher, Northeast Valley. Matthew Poland (4th Regiment), slaughterman, Green Island Bush. ° William Patterson Eraser, accountant, Musselburgh. Eric Bowden, clerk, Dunedin. VSctor Douglas Poison, brassfinisheiDunedin. James Brunton (National Reserve), clerk, Dunedin. William Alex. Bain (4th Regiment), clerk, Roslyn. John James Gilbert, grocer, Dunedin. PERSONAL NOTES. Sergeant J. Edwards (reported missinc on August 28) is the third son of Mr James Edwards, North-east Valley. He was born in Maryborough, Queensland and removed to New Zealand with his parents when about four years old He was educated at the Rae's Junction School, and in after vears worked on several stations in the 'Tuapeka district In 1910 he joined the Police Force, and at the. time of his enlistment with the Third Reinforcements was stationed at Lyttelton. Sergeant Edwards is 28 years of age, and was the first policeman jn the Canterbury district to volunteer for active service. Lance-corporal John D. Scott (Field Engineers, wounded) is the only son of Mr Thomas Scott, 45 Elm row, "Dunedin He left with the 4th (Otago) Regiment, First Expeditionary Force, and was transferred to the New Zealand Engineers on arrival in Egypt. He received his promotion on the way to Egypt. Lance-corporal Scott was educated at tho High Street School, afterwards going to the Arthur Street School, and finished at the Normal School, Moray place, where he won two medals for drill. After leaving school he served his apprenticeship to the entrineering trade with the firm of A. and T. Burt, after which he was employed at the City Gasworks for about five years. Previous to leaving Dunedin he was with *Stevenson and Cook, Port Chalmers. Word has since been received from Lance-cor-poral Scott that he is now convalescent at Alexandria. Trooper Edward Guise Brittan (Canterbury Mounted Rifles, missing) is the fifth and youngest son of Mr F. H. Brittan, Avonside. He was educated at theChristchurch Boys' High School, and was following farming pursuits at Mount Parnassus when he enlisted with the Main Expeditionary Force, joining the signalling troop of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles. Our Tiniaru correspondent wires :—A private cablegram from Malta on Monday informed Mr C. S. Fraser of the death of his son, Corporal Geoffrey Earle Fraser. Corporal Fraser, who was fighting on Gallipoli with the Wellington Mounted Rifles, was wounded on August 10. and subsequently conveyed to Malta, where he died in hospital on Saturday. His younger brother, Trooper Gordon FraseT, is also in hospital, and he it was who sent the cablegram conveying the ead news to his father. The* late Corporal Fraser was about 25 years of age. He was educated in Tiniaru at the Waimataitai and Boys' High Schools, and was then engaged in sheep'farming, being for some time on the Kauroo Hills Station and elsewhere in North Otago. Ho went later to Takapau, Waipiro Bay, and was there when the call came for "volunteers. He joined the Gisborne section of the Wellington Mounted Rifles in the main body of the Expeditionary Force, ,ind at tained the rank of corporal while on active service. Physically he was a young man of fine proportions' and as a boy he exhibited prowes6 in athletics, holding the junior high-jump record at the High School for a number of years. Received from " Mornington " Is for the Beluian fund. We have received from Messrs Snrgood, Son, and Ewen's boot factory employees tho sum of £4 3s. being' their 29th contribution to the Belgian fund.