THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 531, 11 June 1909, Page 8

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

:;^' letters'to the editor; • ' bean deluged with letters on the proposal':of'■ the Government to. shclvo the apuntry's business, : a nnmbor of which arc pjiven'below:—'..: ;r 5 ;:; fINDICNATIONJ v '"..''.' ".Sir^-Would'it'"iioV W'/possible io bold the suggested..indignation meeting..on "Mondaj light nest; so-'M'toVphable the storekeepers lo attend, as the adjournment of thd House ror.one man.isan.outrage on society? Would tho .House ;.adiourn,.>if ;isicknesß. befell hit Majesty.- or .'.would, the', country '.collapse ii io.died?—l am.ete., ..'' ■'';^-'',^"-" ;i . '■■••-'■''P ■•".'""'JUSTICE.".' ■:.. Juno 10; *y :»-■.••'<'-.-..v-. '....- V':':.-/: SYMPATHY;.; [: Sir,—l' do .think it is most'iinkirid of these peoplo (agitators L cair'them) who are bothering Sir Joseph' Ward about 1 such' unimportant questionsr'as' national -defence, : taxation schemes,*".'a'ri'd difficulty.' at this;v tho.,most. critical rpejriod of, his career. The vlast; straw: ;o'f all. is this .' 'unreasonable ?. b J^9?^t?'^J! ; be;;:postponoment of: '.Parliatten£"' .must rcaliso,:that>the.;iate,o! Empires may' hang m, ouj.Pn'mp'Minioter's 'presenco:in London, ina-yta should b<o.only.too proud for him tc ihirie; ; .atv,Windsor,.thqugh'the,-country.:. 'he loaves '• behind,-,i..uiay../ibo~ submerged in the jloom of .aifiriancia'l'eclip'so.' '' ..\ ' ■ We'of.'the/.inner.cirple.kriow it is'.'ail.nonsense- abo;uti\tHis,;unf!p!ployed ■ difficulty, foi ias:.not-.o.ur i ;wealthy.:Mr'. Nathan, informed ;beso; tiresome ■■ workers.: that I ,any .man. : with rrit :raay. : hav6. aVhoineLjof;'his own in.a year )r.-SO ?.\iAs.-to ijiatiorial^defenco,':what better lyEtein'.'catii'we'have'tbah the present? For, ire; we riot spending £200,000' per annum on lur.ypluntccrs? I beg pardon, I'should have iaid'ohr; colonels: . I,saylif is all.nonsense! Chero Js':n6'necessit3!''f6r Parliament' at all I mere '.I've, made; auotlier mistake, 'llr.-''Ed-tor.-What I meant.was'the salaries' to coh-;iriue,..of.:'-courso,'•'.but there is no- necessity : or .this-undignified Thasto, until - Sir. -, Joseph yVard.is:qui.te:re3dy.;,'-.'i'i .~..".:'. : :: '"; .-.- '.I. am: sure, all info' Liberals will look' forvard;to; September next,'when we of the •lght;' colour can extend a .smiling' welcomelqme, again; to: our" altruistic Prime .Minister, baded-with -the'spoils.'of.' war: : -The spirit of )rtphecy;4B,-oh';ino i, no'w ) • and 1 fancy I see ;his' ; happy little [Dominion for the first time n- : hor history Wttshing, with -the honour ol laving areal live lord "for heir Prime Min-stefrr-till nest elections.— etc.',.'.' ■•■■'.■• ';' : vv;T',.;.;■ ':.;£• ; '.';,.;; N .- .RAviiOND TUNE. ; ;.; -\; .'■<■' "■ ■ ; '-' ' :'j-}; : ;, :THE NAyAL ; CpNFERENCEV !'- has < been settled ..beyond iH/doubi that our and piauabl6;Prime,;Minister,B presence':.will, be perfunction at • our 'cost, .vould it';'.n6i,be "advisable; "priori'tb'.'ltis; dewrt^e'from. r th'eso"''sh6res, if he,would condescend to borrow-: 0ne,...tw0, .or "three miliar of .-money" by: way." of solvjng ' the; uhem»oyed. .guestiem,?. works:' could *>; started; ; 'an'd '.things' would /go on as moroly.aa. the ringing ; af '"marriage .bolls. . Or, jotter;, still; 30 ■ next\or 'early n it .will have been: erne <year*, since ?arliament held session, consequently: moni»ers" and. Ministers .'have'not; .'and ; will not '.^VParned.-any;:honorarium,, so,' that' this noney^•oyer-£30, : p00;-in tbeEouso of Repre)entatives;lalplipy jshould -be: disgorged)' when t. would,: at,the r .£3 per week, for' one rear' find employment for approximately 1 20C Mnilies. :; i / :ii :';:.■• '\y!'':-: '•'■.','..■■•.,.;-, '■■■,'.;-, ■:■ Nowadays ;'wo'. are.; tolerating a' crowd '■ of srofossional politicians .who are using thoii iest;'endeavours, io defeat :the intentions .oi Shp.'averag6iintelligent,cifeen,:'as ; that hisWical ;diyi.sipn r list of: Monday last plainlj to.w"•mon.or,aro we.mice, thai ivp_-are;.tp'be'.coerced;or. itrappedp.. Do : 'yot #™ ; ™r'<>n6. inprneni .that had the two pro ipsals.whicii.were:'siib ; 'mrttcd to M.P.'s at Sii on Monday.last tieon:. placed ...bofore the pebnle and 'a- vote ;aken; thercpn'-that. Parlianiont -would not *! • " c °^ d he; - the' Prime ;Min■stpr, :thinkß..fit?--Npl .'.lt,is monstrous, ahc nakos my. blood,:boi-l;whcn.l think of- it The Kxmor.hp.and this;party .of voting-'maohinei »re ■. • wiped mi'.', ..the/.biitter- it will be'.f OT . aj ;Th'e y) ; the': so-called- Liberal Govsrament, - baye-4eft; us an : overlasting inonnn<«!t:'to:: their non-borrowing, policy—a h'u» Mtional debt, -for which tt'is Dominion's uS»rn;.,millions..wdl.eypr.priy,:otc." -It isaboul trap they were;ousted, and uid.,his..plucky 'baiid; 'occupied ,'the GovernMOTV i do bet npt,;in : my.Qpmion..doworise. ; ' ?m ; -^!?W•: a ,? 7, snpenor:qualification! ihat hCshpulcl;single'-'liimsolf: out for'thii p.K-m^^^i^- .Naval .ConforenceP"' Ne loubt he .will ; be asked to. attend many a bni dry :bread and.dry :oafemeS sandwiches, bntVall will be. well -fixed- on -SS »mber,3o. retnrn with a.well- . title,',,. which : wil :'•'.:.: j .„• ." J'^^Miyon'iwill : .insert this letter ndthankin g ,ypmn;an'ticipation therefor-' 1..-am, otc.p'-r. ; '.--t.7jj)i. j- ,-,. ... |V ••, .. W E = !SH ELVINcgIF AtA '&n£ a, O^ 26 *- an <l « Now Zealander, 1 im.del.ghted tp;se6;by this-moming's-:Sn iago of public-busmess is to-be bold If? outsiders an im "•essipiGthat country was ~: thp./Premier/s' Si? jS wyOT.-m a <Jpsa ; bigger:mistake;in his life, as the' forty-five wise nd .^ll. iy pn|utrm.noiuncprtain sound, vAn' f er.'thing .that .the; public should remembei Jfi on : our highly-paic iigh CommlsSloner;•• wiio was-sent-fiome tc opk after ,tho,inter'eflts. of-this D6minioh, has of-Cabinet work, iwdjthe^responsible■:position,of Prime Mini;^V—;::? fr \^S d^i 3 " decbase'.',, ,Tho. lattoi wsitipn.be .held with, great credit,'and 1 that )eing;sp,vis^ g mtp fitted to .hold the positior or-• whiph": Sir; Joseph, is determined to ee iomVv:-'v.'''.^H ,; ■ '' .'. ;It.was a".pleasure to'seei!;ihe way the Weiuigton;; Wembers':;.Voted.. •;?!It, is a great ; piti ihp.meeting^is;'proposed for;'Satnrday night i3.it will prevent numbers of "business people ike myself-frbhi .attending,' and" I am snro iJ t :cbuid..be:f,held.,on :Moriday the big hall retild Be. filled-'with .'a-fe'preseriiativo pnblie noeting: • Ihope thc;convencrs irill try and irrango for Monday; arid at tho same time !pt'Mr:;-.fl?-,"Ej.Taylor';to speak, as an.offcc.ivo tho shelving of the c<mntry'( msiness. -Hoping,to-see a big, enthusiastic neoting.—lam, etc.,. ,'::,.-- ; .;w ri ■;,;. v' NEW, ZEALANDER. ■ -JunOiflO..;:-,.;: ■••'■•-.■• ; ■.-.',■...'-.", I .'.'. [TheK-meeting : is' 'now ■, called • 'for Triesdaj iighy:,;}L';;;.;:.v;/;i.,^,: i .. -.- v „.. ; . . )REA'DNpUCHTa,pR LOCAL PRODUGTSI Sir,^liUe;;"air;this : 'trouble-''and heart Hinting is' going -on about tho Dreadnought lusiness. ajid Sir .Joseph Ward, will you al--6w mp,;a-small spi(co in your paper as to the vhorowithal to- ])ay for it, and to ,liolp oui )wn unemployed ; it' ; the 'present time ?>lt it

• ao me to .shut oor eyes to the fact that ttaigß btß ui a very bad way indeed, and the interest and subsidy has to bo met, and it is not fair that the Old Country should reap" all the.benofit commercially. If they must have they must;be manned, and the men must have food and clothing. ; Why not, give work to our own men by sending supplies.instead of riioneyP* ■:Wo:oxpbrt'>meat, butter;eggs, woolj and.many othcr'tirings, and wliilo the • Old Country is building'..Dreadnoughts let our men be in-i finding'necessaries :for them.' :t Might,,it hot ielp to' solve: tho unemployed quostiohis-bygivmg^work' to thousands? Hoping some abler'/pen than mine'.will take this. up, I beg to sign myself, ~-■'■■■ I ■ ' '~ ONLY A WOMAN. Hntt, Juno 10. . ■ THE DUTY OF THE PRESS. Sir,—ln your issue of this morning you have-a.leader under the above name. Now, is it not,your duty to call the attention of the press in all other localities, to convene public meetings to protest against the monstrous proposal to . adjourn the business of ,\ tho country, merely to suit the: pleasure of ; one man, who, whether'present or not, will ~ havoino'wejght in the discussions in which ''■' ho. is so anxious to figure, if that is his sole object. TJrgo tho people to come, forward and, by their protests, show that it. is their opinion tfoat Parliament shonld not adjourn. I really wonder at the mildness of thel'iemier in _ actually asking his sycophant followers in Parliament to .let- him go. I am surprised that he did not say he intended to go, and went.—l am, etc, .POWER OF. THE PRESS. June 10; , WHAT POSTPONEMENT MEANS. Sir,—The thanks of the".community' are due to you for the clear way in*which.the trip of the Premier has been exposed to the/people of the Dominion. One very bad feature of tho , Government postponing .the business, of the Dominion is. that it. puts everything back eix months.' Traders and business men who are' eo anxiously looking forward'to bettor.'times .will feel tho pinch very much. : Capitalists, too, will not advance money when so many important questions aro unsettled. The dumb follower of the Government will also realise the disgust, and distrust of the electors of the Dominion. 1 wonder at Sir Joseph/going, when he must know how much suffering and' distress the postponement of Parliament will cause to thousands of people throughout the entire Dominion. By all ma.infi send the. Prime Minister: Home, and let him stop .there, ; I trust that traders and Labour throughout the land will roll up 1 , to public meetings, and stand up for their, rights, aDd not allow tho ambition of one man to override sound sense. May,l say,' in conclusion, that we are-all very proud 'of our Wellington .and .Suburbs members.—l am, etc.,, ; ; elector;■ f June 10. ~ . ~..,..._'.-...',! :. , " )'■'. THE PREMIER AND DEFENCE; ' .; Sir,—l do not think that Sir Joseph Ward has shown himself. : to be the proper, person to . attend the 'Defence ; , Conference at '■ Home, on our behalf,'.when we-notice, as. bead; J ol his.Cabinet, ho has allowed such' a glaring ; ncglect in the! defence postion, as this Dominion is now placed in. When w© read, through.■the press, how defence materials have been allowed to lay.: rusting, away, also that:there is only between' 10: to 20 thousands of rifles in the Dominion; and possibly old ;' when wo" : also read of • the dissatisfaction among: oiir volunteers, and their reduced numbers; .also the injustice of the Government. charging them ' eleven shillings per hundred; for cartridges, while the volunteers of .Australia aro supplied: for 65., I think: the people have grave cause to blame Sir! l Joseph. Ward'for this position,' It is so different to the'advice lately given to th« distant parts 'of the Empire: by Lord Charles Berosfqrd. ■-[■;' •■*'■:. y : : -- ,■■>->■'■; .. I would like the Govorhmeht.tb give to every: fifth person in the Dominion; a best rifle and: certain lamotmt of ammunition, to make themselves good., marksmen.,. I think it our, best policy-to help support: ■ tho strength of the British; Navy; attho same time wo should do' our parts to protect our homes, and I consider we are ma mncji safer position to do so.than the 'people of Australia, by the-nature of our country, also we being far more populated in comparison to size. There is a possibility of our Navy being' crippled, and to trust solely on tho.-Homo people for. our safety, is not much to our: credit.'.' '-:.'•.. ;' The present policy of our Premier is very different to that;of the Now Zealand' Government of the early sixtyls of last century.i Then wo asked the' Imperial Government to: remove the 10,000: British - soldiers;- and wo would go .on the self-reliant policy. . I am referring to the'Mabri War of'that timo. I trust- those;"'advocating 'for compulsory training, ; will cause Parliament :to legislate to.that,'effect. ;. One of our., generals,., at Home, compares. tho people ' there to sheep' subject to the worry of a few wolves, and : •under our Premier we are similar. I cannot' understand the.British Government'not pre■Parmg.,tnp i enormous power they have, 'by the_possession of India, arid using tho same .in Anropo, if .sorely needed. At 'the'' BerlinConference, towards'thb close'of the Russo-l-urkish :War, Lord . Beaconsfield threatened to.floor/ Europe with Indian:'troops,-or the Black Knight.'- What other Power havine this immense power, but'would use it to cor quer their-opponent. I would :like .to seo our young men take as much interest m they do 'in. sports: There is one congolation for them; by the cultiVat on of enemy.—l am, etc.;. "■-' :: .' . ■ !■■';-;■ ■'■' ' ; : ;: ' : - : ; '!CHAS;'SIMMONDS;'" '1 Wellington,; June"6, 1909;!'' ;' '.^ '-': V A PROTEST. . '-'%/—*> with numerous! others, .regret 'the' deasum arrived at by the Government rf this S?' 0 q n n'° P r , oro F in E Parliament:till-Sep- ' temberSO, m tho face of the present depression,, and want' of' employment by old colonists and native-born. This being an anrfTrt'-/f >?«*■'*»» members to rise ■and-do-.their, duty.-; to themselves: and those who, returned them to; Parliament, and show to the world we have done our duty' bv nresentrog a Dreadnought, and looked after our own people as well. ~.-••' Here was an opportunity for 'members to show and prove they profess" that we %$ ■B ° -I Po / liament for the sake of £300 a year, but for the good of the Dominion.- ,1 thmk it 1S the general wish that Sir Joseph should-attend the Naval Conference, °°*. ".Prorogue.Parliament till September 30 is like stopping the Bun tffl we are ready to proceed with the urgent needs of the Dominion. To find so many members supporting the adjournment is a further proof that this.country is still run'by a one-man Government, and Government supporters fright ened of their tenure of,office. - Even the Onposition, "as reform party, have agreed to fair Joseph to attond the Naval Conference; but. to stop the clock for Sir Joseph is really asking; too, much, and' Government supporters have shown a want of backbone, and appear frightened; to face the position in Sir Joseph's absence.; Parliament should sit, and if any question'arise at the conference Sir Joseph could communicate, and so settlo the qnestion and have it ratified while Parliament was sitting, and not havo to traverse the question of pros and.cons sixmbnthß hence. No itimo like tho present, saving time and exponsoy and attending to the demands of this Dominion..' , •■'.'• i Sir Josoph and his partyhave clearly shown by their action that if. Sir Joseph went Home' with Parliament sitting that their tenure ofoffice was uncertain, and I should not bo surprised if Sir Joseph's party were not out of power before ho (Sir Joseph) got Homo, hence no peerage, rio position on Naval Board for oversea Dominion, and finally no High Commissionorship, for you may 'depend that tho Hon. Hall-Jones-is only keeping tho berth warm, and who will be recalled on account of ill-health. ■ -, • In conclusion, wo who aro opposed to Sir Joseph closing Parliament till Sopfccmbcr SO ;'aro indebted to Mr. Glovor, and tho Hon. Panl, ; for their out-spoken remarks. Thoy[ although Government supporters, have the conrago of their opinions, aro not.afraid of expressing their views, and have risen above party and their £300 a year. I wish, Mr. Editor, with your mighty pon, you could induce his Worship the Mayor to conveno an indignation meeting, as a mark of protest

against proroguing Parliament, say, in tie -town Hall, or, better still, the Basin Deserve ,n Saturday afternoon. I am sure Air. Alassey and other able speakers would assist, and a gathering worthy of tho occasion would bo the result. It is not too late, and-otner towns would endorse the Empire ■Uty a action. Want-of-confidence could be carried: on the' following grounds:—Want of information regarding Naval Conference, nencp cannot, vote supplies or sanction prorogmng Parliament.—l am, etc., LAND OF MY BIRTH. POSTPONEMENT OF PARLIAMENT. i s 'J"i~Th<) forty-throe weaklings who yielded to the whim of the Premier to set aside the, Imsiness of the Dominion until his return should bo .unseated. Not only is it unbusi-ness-liko and unconstitutional, but a slight to the intelligence of the Dominion. Such an act is more in keeping with tho autocracy of ltussia than of our: boasted democracy. As it tar Joseph was tho only man capable of conducting the business of Parliament! But, sir, should he go Home at all? Does ho think too intelligence of this Dominion will credit his statements that ho should do" so-•uw-so, and no one could attend the defence conference but he, etc., etc.? What is tho use of having a High Commissioner at Homo and an experienced ."adviser"; to him in the S* 80 * 1 ° f tho Hon. W. P. Reeves, if between them the business at the said conference could not.be attended to without our Premier going Homo? ■ Sir, what does it all spell: a need for the people to wake up and bo themselves, to think and act on rational and common-sense-lines, refusing to bo deceived by any one man. It is enough to cause monster public meetings to be held throughout the Dominion to protest, against it. As to the question of. defencej I believe in every city and town possessing its own army; I believe in school military training of • a more efficient kind than at present, and in rifle clubs and volunteers, bnt not m compulsory training, because, in spite of the smooth talk of Mr.' M\Nab and others abont compulsory training and free service; it is tho thin edge of the wedge of.conscription, a chain of bondage which wo as a free people will fight against to the end. I'contend that the press and Governments of the day in every land do not fairly represent tho people j hence ; the need for : the people themselves (as previously stated) to think wisely and act in the interests of the; whole community, when the watchword of the pres3 will be not war but im'jitraticm. In conclusion, may I ask why that is not so now by both press and pulpit? If it. were, there would be no imcd for the present fuss.—l'am, etc., '.'• ' T . ■ '•"' DEMOCRAT. June 9.