CONSCRIPTION POLL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27090, 26 May 1949, Page 6

CONSCRIPTION POLL

Expected in July or August

EFFECT ON GENERAL ELECTION

Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, May 25. The end of July or early in August is expected to be the time the Government will fix for the referendum on compulsory national service. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser suffered the most severe setback he has had in some years when it became apparent yesterday that the Labour Party Conference would not grant his request for a mandate on conscription. Mr Fraser, nevertheless appears confident that he can win public support for his case and is obviously ready and keen to go beyond the confines of his party to the country as a whole for backing for his policy. Within the Labour Movement it is considered that a division on this issue may prove disastrous although if the country carried conscription at a poll it would undoubtedly be a personal triumph for Mr Fraser and would enhance his position at the general election.

Plans are already being made by opponents of conscription and' extensive campaigning can be expected with one half of the Labour Movement demanding a public vote in support and the other half vigorously opposing it. The official report of yesterday’s debate clearly did not contain much reference to the arguments against conscription which appeared to be swaying the conference when Mr Fraser intervened to propose a referendum. 1 The arguments used were many and varied and included contentions that New Zealand could make a better contribution to commonwealth defence by greater production of food, that compulsory military training would affect the production rate and that military training was not the best means for preparedness for defences. Much of the argument was on ideological grounds, indicating that the early principles of the Labour Party, which Government members have found it desirable to modify, are still having a powerful effect in the Party.

When Mr Fraser’s dramatic retreat ended the debate, there were 10 to a dozen more delegates rising to catch the chairman’s eye and get a chance to speak. In spite of the freedom alleged for the debate, many industrial leaders did not find an opportunity to produce the extensive arguments they had prepared, but they intend using them on the platform when the referendum is taken. The general opinion in the Industrial Labour Movement is that the country may not carry conscription, but it is clearly the intention of Mr Fraser to use all the resources of the parliamentary Labour Party to .achieve the result he desires. In this he will find himself no doubt on the platform alongside the leader of the opposii on, Mr Holland.

The Communist Party can be expected to embarass Labour advocates of conscription by insisting on lending their support.