Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 451
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[Page 451]
4.
bodily fear of arrest, things are not yet normal with us here, but of course these things pass in time, & fortunately the heart of the country is sound. Recruiting has greatly improved. It is not what it ought to be, but it is so much better that we feel encouraged. New South Wales contributes fully 500 accepted recruits a week, & is the best of the States at present. The Labour Council is wavering between open & covert opposition even to voluntary recruiting. The covert opposition is not denied, & I shall not be surprised if it soon becomes open & avowed. The result is another split in the Labour Party here, & the formation by the loyal men of a new "Federation of Labour" in open opposition to the old Trades & Labour Council. Our Parliament is to meet next Wednesday, & the first bill to be considered will be one to reinstate all the trades unions that were disqualified by Judge Heydon for taking part in the great strike last year. This is a sop to Labour in order to try to get its coöperation in voluntary recruiting. Personally I don't believe it will do any good. An application was made by Beeby, Minister for Labour & Industry, recently to Judge Heydon in open court, & Heydon was asked to reinstate the unions which he had previously disqualified. This Heydon flatly refused to do, hence the meeting of Parliament to do the thing by Act of Parliament. Of course if one could believe that kindness of this sort would bring the extremists in the Labour Party to realise the duty they owe