CONSCRIPTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9954, 25 April 1918, Page 7

CONSCRIPTION

ABANDONED IN COMMONWEALTH DEMANDS OF LABOUR.

SV Toleiranh—Trei=c. A««iMn.ii3n—Cr>nyr<ntii MELBOURNE, April 24.

The report of the' Governor-General's Recruiting Conference shows that Mr Tudor (leader of the Labour Party) submitted a statement embodying conditions upon which, in the opinion of those associated with Mm, the harmony of the community depended. These included, a definite ment that the Government had: finally abandoned conscription; that there is to be no economic conscription! the registration of deregistered unions; restoration of unions to their former status; restoration of victimised unionists in their employment; abolition of bogus unions and bureaux ; repeal of all war precautions and regulations not vital to the conduct of the war; abolition of the press censorship and the limitation of free speech except in relation to military.news of advantage to the enemy; Immediate release of all persons not guilty of criminal offences imprisoned in connection with the conscription, peace propaganda, _ and recruiting, and the recent industrial troubles; refund of fines and costs in connection with industrial and political prosecutions during the war period; and immediate and effective steps to protect soldiers' dependents and' the publio against profiteering. ; Mr W. M. Hughes submitted .replies declaring that voluntaryism' had' been nailed to the mast and would remain so;, that the Government and employers' representatives had agreed that there should be no economic conscription ; and 1 , in regard to the other demands, agreed to moot them as far as practicable. After several resolutions were discussed, and rejected, the conference adopted the following resolution unanimoufiN;:— "That this conference, meeting in a time of -unparalleled emergency, resolves to make all possible efforts to avert defeat at the hands of German militarism, and urges the people of Australia to unite in a whole-hearted effort to secure necessary reinforcements under the voluntary system." A R.EPOi.T~OOISfTRiADIC?rEiD. SYDNEY - , April 24. In connection with the reports that some firms are dispensing with the services of single eligible men, the president of the Employers' Federation stats:—"The federations throughout the Commonwealth have agreed that there is to be no economic conscription. As military conscription hasbeen defeated it is considered not desirable or right that employers should attempt to enforce ; a form of conscription amongst their employees. At the same time employers are urged to give every possible encouragement to their employees to enlist." HUNGARIAN CRISIS AMHJASSY REFUSES PREMIERSHIP. By Telecrapn—PrMii A»»o'ei»Uon— Oapyrtirni Australian and N. 7.. C»*>!« AMOoUUom. BERNE, April 23. , The Hungarian orisis continues, and the cry "Down with Tisza!" is raised by the crowds. The shops in Budapest are closed. Count Andrassy has refused the Premiership. _ Reports from Vienna state that the Reichsra,th has abandoned a resolution formally assuring Germany of the Austrian Empire's loyalty to the Ce n ™ Alliance, owing to the opposition of the Right Party. _______

RQUMANIA ANDJESSARABIA FORMALLY UNITES. Dv Telfiftraoll—Prena AjsoeinMen—Copyrt»M Australian anS N.Z Cable Amoolatton. (Received April 24, 10.40 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 23. The Roumanian Legation has notified the State Department that Roumania and Bessarabia have been formjally united. JAPAN'S DETERMINATION TO KEEP FAR. HAST AND PACIFIC FROM HUN DOMINATION. By TpleirrsiPli— Vnn Assorintinn—Copyright (Received April 24, 10.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 24.

Speaking at the Society of St. George dinner, the Japanese ConsulGeneral said thero vrero signs of a colossal Gorman attempt to throw her forces through paralysed Russia and Siberia into the Sea of Japan. If such an attempt were made, Japan hold herself' in readiness to thwart it and keep the Far East and Pacific free from German domination.