A FURTHER PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 539, 21 June 1909, Page 4

A FURTHER PROTEST.

Sir,—l seo that it is" at last decided that our Premier shall go to- England, and Parliament adjourn, in spite of all the protests that■ havo beon' made. Well, air, L think the- Premier, and those members who voted for the trip, should. feel. thoroughly ashamed of thoinselvcs, to allow our money, to be wasted in this disgraceful manner, when they well know the stato of our country at the present time. I should liko to know how much longer the people of Now Zealand intend'to allow this sort of thing to go on. Perhaps next election will tell. Regarding the Dreadnoughts, : I think our Premier ought to feci too ashamed to look the honest working class in the face. It strikes mo that tlio Mouse of Parliament | .is turning into a nursery with our Premier playing the part of the proverbial spoilt child, and, also that certain of tho lion, gentlemen aro acting as ; his nurses. When ho said, "I want to givo my two boats to Johnny Bull, and I want to go to England'to see if ho likes them," they said, ''No, dear, you can't." "800-00, but I toll you Iwnht to go, and I will go." Then: "Oh,. well, for goodness sake go, < and then wo can have somo peace." Now, sir, this is how we of tho country look at this particular point, and wonder greatly why the-mon-wo put in Parliament to look after our interests'; in the country,

allow one man to work thern as ho likes. So far as I can seo, it is a caso of "pull the string, and tho figures work." I am, indeed, glad to seo there are somo men strong enough to stand to their guns. I should liko to know why tho country's business is thrown carolessly aside, while tho Preniioris jaunting off to England ou theso lovely little trips that run away with our money ? Why cannot ho pay his own oxponses, if he wants to go so badly? I fail to seo why we sliould suffer all theso indignities that are being heaped on our innocent shoulders. And now, beforo I close, I should liko to say a word about this pretty little "farco" called compulsory military training. Do tho Government of this country, honestly, expect young men to join their forces whilo somo of their fathers are still waiting for tho "promised sixty acres," since the last Maorj rising, about 1869? Perhaps they would, bo-fed on promises also. How is it that the.-Dofonce Rifle Clubs, did not get' their promised training three times a year. Why did members of these clubs have to pay ,1 s - to Is.-3d. per packet of ten cartridges, while tho volunteers got them considerably lower? Has any rifleman ever had a free pass on railways to tho targets? I think not.' I havo. belonged to a defence rifle club since they.first started, a few years hack, and havo novor had a free pass, Now, sir, I should liko to know if this is the way to encourage mon to go.in for military training. Until noiv, there has been too much .sympathy with the volunteers, and ■" not enough with riflemen... Also, there. is too much blow, and not'half enough deeds in this lme.-4 am, etc.," ".: '■•-''••■•■■ ' INDIGNANT NEW ZEAU.NDER. "June--15, 1909.".:'..., -".:'..., ".:■'■