INDIGNATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 534, 15 June 1909, Page 8

INDIGNATION.

SHELVING THE COUNTRY'S BUSINESS. TO-NlCflrß MEETtNC IH THE TOWN • HAIA. FURTHER LETTEBS TO THE EDITOR. Tho indignation meeting which is to bo held this ovonmg in the Town Hall, for tho purpose of publicly protesting against tho Bhelnng of tho country's business by tho prorogation of Parliament will bo addressed by Messrs A. L. Hcrdman, F. M B. Fisher, R 'A. Wnght, and D MTLaron, the city MJP 's Tho Mayor i(Dr Nowman) will preside Wβ havo received another large budget of kttere protesting against tho action of tho Government in this matter, but we regret that, owing to pressure on our spaco, we cannot publish all of them. HOMO SUM. Sir, —It was Montrona, the French writer and politician, who said "Language given _to men to conceal "their thoughts " Tho other day a wntor pointed out in your paper, and , it appears to oo common opinion amongst tho public, that Sir Joseph's anxiety, at all costs, not to miss his opportunity of personally figuring at tho conference is on account of the prospective reward usually conferred in similar cases He has nson, in a democratic country, on tho shonldors of tho workers, and belongs by birth to tho humbler classes, but, unliko the Australian, Mr. Alfred Deokin, and our Jato Mr. Biclmrd Seddon, he has proved that distinction of class, so alien to democratic ideas, figures strongly in his ambition It can bo taken for granted that when tho Pnmo Minister of this Dominion was invited to attend tho Defenco Conference, it was simply becauso be, as Prime Minister, is tho principal representative of its people. They could not very well havo invited any other particular person, even had it been quite cloar to them that local affairs would make ( it impossible foT him to attend—and not for his personal knowledge and oxpenenco in matters of naval or land defence, for abotrt such things ho can at most onlj air the notions ho gets from other people This "splendid audaciV to prosumo, Carolus would put it, that tho accumulated wealth of tho United Kingdom would not enable it to build as many Dreadnoughts as any two or three Continental Powers, has'certainly not influenced Mr Asquith when inviting the Prime Minister. j What Enghnd is in need of is not money, but sufficient of first-class officers and trained men of British birth to man her

fleots at any-' time and at any ipoint—and then wo add a uniform and smooth-working system for defence on land and sea. It is, "Carolns" takes it, to'agree on an Imperial and uniform plan of action that the conference has been called, and 'not to ascertain bow much of the financial burden each shall carry. It is therefore perfectly reasonable to presume that Mr. Asquith's desire "was simply to have Now Zealand represented. In the face of the vital questions, which tho present Parliament wsl bo called upon to discuss and decide, is it right of the 'Prime Minister to absent himself, on the pretext, 'evidently, that no man other than flimsclf'can represent , .this Dominion at the conference? if ho manages to persuade a majority of'the House (a more word play, for Sir ,Josoph), that that is so, Bnalf he also be able to talk the Assembly over into the belief business of the country must be postponed, as, without .him,, < it would bo impossible to transact business, however urgent?' What if Sir Joseph should be overtaken, by Nature, on his road to fame, in the forrri of a, sonous illness, putting him hors do combat for'any length '<Jf tirmS? "Would 'the bnsinose of the country come to a standstill,, and would tho conference colhpße? "Carolue" only asks. If the Prime Minister is a of aj'philosophor, he 4nght;,to roalisje 'that, «fc any time, *tho country erias have to r roanago entirely without him,' ancT; if that is eoj lie should'not expect that other mortals should Dot tako the same- view. The only sensible' course for tho Prime Minister to adopt is, as so strongly recommended by tho independent portion of tho press, to proceed, leaving his first ant in charge. However; it is not, difficult to sum up Sir Joseph's position in-the matter. It is a caso of "between tho devil' and tho deep sea." He cannot, though .ho badly wants to, bo in two places at tbo same time, and, evidently, he will not admit ' that there, are others as truo and as capable as himself. ,1 forgot the namo of the % . comic opera, but remember the in tho song of th'fc loading actor: "Of. course' you'can never be liko us." In tho'present political farce, you can imagine you hear the same- strain.—l am, etc, > ' CAROLTJS. June 10.. NECLECTING OUR OWN INTERESTS. Sir,—Hon. T. M'Kenzio, in the Address-in-Reply debate, said, in supporting the sending of tho Primo Minister to the Defence Conference, he regarded the question of defence as of the greatest importance. Either he knows nothing about, or is indifferent to our own requirements, for as / Minister of tho Crown, though not Defence Minister, ho should know, and if ho does not I will enlighten'him and Sir Joseph, that if the Cabinet "would attend to tho defonco of tho Dominion thoy would have quite enongh to do for tho nest two years. I challenge Sir Joseph to deny that tho defences are not in a deplorable oondition. • Sir Joseph, quoting from a speech reported by Lord Charbs Beresford, which, by tho way, has been denied by Lord Charles, ' said that , if tho people of England knew the position or state of the Navy there would be a panic. I will repeat the same to Sir Joseph on Ichalf of the Dominion. What ■would the people say if they knew, with \ all tho hundreds of thousands pounds spent in defences, that .they are useless? In addition, we have tho Janio Scddon, and motorlaunch and staff of submarine engineers, and not ono submarine mino hid in Wellington Harbour. ,How dooa this agree ,with Sir Joseph and Defence Conference? Sir Joseph saye, in. reply to Mr. Mnssey, that if'the House doee not agree >to tho ad- , iourriment ho will not go Homo. Sir Joseph knows that this is his only plea, that only ho will get Homo, hence ho would not separato tho two issues, viz., presentation of Dreadnought with personal attendance at and Houso adjonrned or prorogued in his absence. 'Now, you have only to read his speech ,m his Address-in-Reply, and see the egoism of this gentleman, when ho says that ho was tho head of the first oversea dominion to offer a Dreadnought, and that he and ho only should bo present to rcprosent ',hat offer, Do you think, Mr. Editor, that conference would bo» postponed if our Prime Minister was not presont? Now the members havo a valid reason for nob supporting the proroguing of Parliament. They should know their duty to themselves and this Dominion in particular. It is not too late even now to tako this stand, and save themselves and tho position. Sir Joseph can go Homo to the conference and present his Dreadnought, but to prorogue Parliament vo cannot agree. \Wo must look after ourselves as well as him. Trusting I havo not encroached on your valuablo space. —I ; am, otc., LOOK AT HOME FIRST. Juno 14.