NEED FOR CONSCRIPTION

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13661, 1 September 1916, Page 1

NEED FOR CONSCRIPTION

TO COME IN AUSTRALIA. GOVERNMENT POLICY ANNOUNCED. (Per Onhle—Press Association—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, August M. In the House of Representatives Mr W. M. Hughes stated that the Government had arrived at the conclusion that the present system of recruiting could not lie relied upon lo supply the necessary reinforcements. It wiis therefore considered that there was only one fours to pursue, namely to asli the electors to supply the deficiency by compulsion. U was proposed to take a referendum at the earliest possible moment, and if a .majority approved of compulsion it would be applied, but if sufficient volunteers responded there would be no need for compulsion. The Government did not intend to apply compulsion to married men or youths under twenty-one, to single men with dependants, or to Hie remaining sous of families where one or more members had already volunteered, until the supply of single men without dependants was exhausted. It had been further decided that if within one month a sufficient number of.recruits did not respond to the appeal, a, proclamation would issue under tlnvDefence Act calling up for training the necessary number of single men without dependants to make good the deficiency. Mr Hughes will further elaborate the policy of the Government on Friday. "As regards the conscription of wealth," said Mr Hughes, "since we are calling on men to sacrifice, their lives we shall not hesitate to compel men to sacrifice their wealtii for the salvation of the country."