AUSTRALIAN REFERENDA

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1926, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN REFERENDA

THE CAMPAIGN CLOSES. THE PROPOSALS EXPLAINED. RESULT VERY DOUBTFUL. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, Sept. 3. As the final stages of the referenda campaign are closing, public interest, which was previously apathetic, is gaining force. Both the Labour and 'Government parties have rigorously prosecuted campaigns for and against throughout the Commonwealth. An anomalous position has been created in New South Wales, where both the State and Federal Electoral Acts provide only for the closing of hotels during the holding of elections. The electoral officers have decided that the referendum cannot be classed as an election, therefore hotels will remain open. Broadly speaking, there are two proposals for the amendment of the constitution before the electors, firstly, asking that more power shall be given to the Federal Government with the object of securing efficient control over trusts, combines and trades unions and other industrial organisations, in order to enable unionists to secure more control over their own organisations and particularly in times of industrial turmoil, to enable them to take a secret ballot on the question of a strike. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POWERS. The second question before the electors asks them to give the Federal Government what hitherto was regarded as State rights and empower tho Commonwealth Government in time of industrial stress to take whatever steps are necessary to maintain transport services. This latter action would only bo necessary in tjie event of the State failing to maintain essential services as happened during the recent seamen’s strike. This was really the cause of the Federal Government seeking the ad-, ditional powers asked for by the Bruce Party on the strength of the mandate given at the last Federal election to deal with alien agitators, but Which was inoperative under the existing constitution,. . T-hey are hopeful of carrying the proposals, while their opponents, relying on the fate of previous referenda for the alteration of the Constitution, and being against the granting to the Federal Government such wide powers as demanded, are confident of defeating them. A split in the Labour Party renders the position more obscure than would otherwise be the case. The pretty general opinion appears to be that the electors have not taken the trouble properly to acquaint themselves with the intricacies of the issues involved, and that the vote to a considerable extent will be an ignorant one on both sides. . The prospects of carrying the proposals are- not regarded as too bright. It will be some days before the result of the. whole vote. Will be finalised. Received Sept. 3, 8.40 p.m. Sydney, Sept. 3. The puzzle the electorates will have to solve to-morrow is illustrated by the advice given to voters by the various parties. Federal Nationalists are asked to vote “yes” to both questions. State Nationalists “no” to the first and "yes” to the second. Federal Labourites “yes” to the first and "no” to the second, and State Labourites “no” to both.