AUSTRALIAN CONSCRIPTION FIGHT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 827, 4 October 1916, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN CONSCRIPTION FIGHT.

DESTINY IN PEOPLE'S HANDS TREACHEROUS GAME OF THE LABOUR EXTREMISTS. (Received October 4, 1 0.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, October 4. An outstanding feature of yesterday's response to the proclamation was the heavy percentage of claims for exemption, estimated at from 50 to 00 per cent. Mr W. M. Hughes lias issued o manifesto tlmt soon Australia will be appealing for votes of '"Yes" to the referendum. He states that the destiny of the country is in the people's hands. The State referendum campaign was successfully launched in Brisbane. Mr Hughes, referring to the stop-work meetings to be held to-day, said the real reason was to foment a general strike to prevent the taking of the referendum. lie appealed to unionists who want to see Germany defeated not to play the treacherous game of these extremists, who were the secret enemies of Britain. The proclamation orders all hotels and wine bars in Brisbane to be closed to-day.