FEDERATION OF LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16917, 1 February 1917, Page 7

FEDERATION OF LABOUR

DECISIONS OF THE DECEMBER, CONFERENCE.

i £ vCic " la * ha f beei i issued to the Various wTv, h °4 iesh J Mr J- Glover (secretary for the Executive of the New Zealand Labour Party). It contains the following clauses: — ° "I am instructed to write you calline your, attention to the . decisions of thl Uommio-n Labour Conference held to discuss the matter-of securing the repeal of the Conscription Act. " Conference, was of the opinion that the Act is unconstitutional, and agreed that legal opinion should be sought, on the question This is being done, and, in the event oi its being favourable, that a case should be ( taken to the Supreme Conference recommends" that steps be taken to get the signatures of electors in each constituency to a petition calling upon the member to meet his constituents and explain why ho delegated his duties to the iixecutive, and why he voted himself an extra year of office and the £300 that goes with it in defiance of the Triennial Act and ot the electors who elected him on the understanding that the term of office was three years. Also, conferenoe recommends to all Labour and kindred bodies that a national campaign be organised to secure, the repeal of the Military Service Act. i. i° J° llowin S resolutions were carried at the Dominion Labour Conference, held on December 20 and 21:—

1. That conference urge that Parliament be immediately convened for the purpose of repealing conscription." h. " Tha *> filing, Parliament's compliance with tie wishes of the people in this respect, the Military Service Act be at once submitted to a vote of the electors, with unrestricted right of free speech, while the matter is before the people." "That the Government be requested to restore full rights of free speech." 3. "That Government bo requested to release tne .Labour men now in gaol and to cease further prosecutions ' "That, failing their release, conference urge that the Labour men now in gaol be treated as political prisoners, and not as criminals."-

4. " That conference recommends to all trades unions, political labour bodies, and kindred organisations, that a national campaign be organised to secure the repeal of the Military Service Act, and, further, that all political branches and other bodies represented at the conference call upon the representatives of their respective districts to explain to the electors why they have delegated their functions to Cabinet or to an Army Council, and why they voted themselves an extension of political life."