MINISTERS & THE DEFENCE ACT

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1796, 8 July 1913, Page 4

MINISTERS & THE DEFENCE ACT

The supporters of the present system of military training—that is to say, tho great majority of the people of New Zealand —have some cause for disappointment at the tone of the letter sent by the Prime Minister and tho Minister for Defence to tho Unity Congress in reply to the assertions made by the recent deputation regarding the_ treatment of the young men undergoing military detention at Ripa Island and Mount Cook Barracks. Despite tho very definite declaration made in the first paragraph there is a lack of decision about tho letter and evidence of a desire to placate the anti-militarists which is both unwise and uncalled for. Mr. Massey and Mr. Allen. no doubt, are ready to stand or fall by the dcfence scheme, but they arc simply making trouble for _ themselves by attempting to conciliate tho irreconcilables. All they have to do in this matter is to see that the Act is obeyed in its letter and spirit, and that thoso who deliberately break the law are made to undergo the prescribed punishment No one wishes to treat these foolish youths who refuse to comply with the provisions of tho Defence Act with undue harshness, and well-grounded complaints ought to be inquired into; but it should be made perfectly clear that the law is going to be strictly and impartially carried out. If those who are undergoing detention arc insubordinate they must be punished; otherwise the Act might as well be repealed. Any sign of weakness or hesitancy on the part of the Government or the magistrates in dealing with this matter is sure to increase tho activity of the agitators, and will certainly meet with the' strong disapproval of the law-abiding section of the community. It is to be hoped that there will be no Ministerial temporising in this connection. The Defence Act iB just like the other Acts on the Statute Book. It is simply the law of the land, and should be enforced as such, There is good reason to believe that, as we suggested at the outset 'might be the case, the allegations of harsh treatment on Ripa Island have been grossly exaggerated. The Christchurch I'rcss of Saturday last, states that the thirteen youths on Ripa Island who exmwsed the dnterminatioM that they would sooixor diO\thaa alve in to tlio military

authorities informally declared the liunger-slrike "off" after the visit of the magistrate cm Wednesday. He had not been gone long before the.v asked for their dinner, which was at once supplied. Since then they have been eating three meals a day. It should be noted that they aro only placed in solitary confinement during tlio hours prescribed for drill, which they absolutely refuse to do when asked. Tho regulations prescribe certain drill periods morning and afternoon, and as they steadfastly refuse to drill, they are locked up for thoso periods, but are released when tho period is up. The rooms in which they are confined nro perfectly airy and are comfortable, being, in fact, the rooms used by Territorial anil Coast Defence officers as bedrooms when camps are in progress in tho fort, lii accordance with ordinary military custom, the youths' blankets are rolled np every morning and aro given out again in the evening, a rule which applies also to tho members of tho R..N.Z.A. living on tho island.

If this statement of the position is correct the youths on Ripa Island have nothing to complain about. They are defying the law and. must take tho consequences which certainly do not appear to be very terrible. The Government's best answer to future deputations is that the law must bo allowed to take its course.