MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14142, 19 July 1916, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

ATTITUDE OF FEDERATION OF LABOUR.

LUnited Press Association.]

Greymcuth, July 17. At the Greymouth Port Watersiders' Union meeting yesterday, a letter was read Horn the> Federation of Labour asking whether the local union was in lavour of a general strike as a. protest against the National Service Bill. It was decided to reply with an emphatic negative, and:that further communications from the Federation be placed! in the waste-paper basket unread.

■ Creymouth, July 18. lakmg concerted action, the Wateraiders' Federation, the Seamen's Union, and the State JVliners' Union, took a secret ballot on the question :— i! 4i r£. you mopposed to tho Conscription 1M1?" The voting was as follows:— Affirmative 292. negative 109, informal 3. Majority against the Bill, 183.

Christchurch, July 17. With reference to to-day's Press Association mo»sage iron; Greymoutn, Mr Hiram Hunter, secretary "of the United Federation of La.bo\ir. states emphatically that no letter has been sent by the Federation to any union on the subject of the Military Service Bill, nor has he received any instructions from the Federation of Labour to ask unions whether they are in favour of a general strike as a protest against that

Palmersten North, July 17. T. Robinson, s^c-retary of the Flaxniill Employees' Union, was ehai-god at the_ Magistrate's Court to-day .with having expressed a seditious intention. Ib was alleged that he delivered a letter sooking sigmitujvs to a. pledge to go on strike when this Conscription Act was put into operation. The defendant pleaded not guilty. Drc^on was rcsevvod.