A PLAIN ANSWER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3040, 29 March 1917, Page 5

A PLAIN ANSWER

v PR: LA; H. ITEM) AND HIS MINER '•■. '■■:'■-\\ Correspondence of general::interest (passed recently between; the; "Wakainajiiiia Miners* Union and Mr. T. A; H-; . , ,Field,.M.P. for Nelson, which wo ie- :■-'., 'produce below:—■,'',;>:.' '"■':.. ' :.: ..;: f Miners' "industrial" Union '"■'; ; ■':: ;•'. •': '.of •Workors/ '■ '.'■■' ■' .■■'■■•/ ..Deep Creek, Marlbbrough, '■""■' r- :: "■■■' '■■'■ ?'■"'' January 6, 1917. : '? : ')Mr.; : T. A. M.P., ■;;■■' ■. > \. ; '; j, Dear sir,—l.am instructed By 'my '■:-. .union to ask you in all courtesy to exIplain to us your reasons for voting for : (the present war regulations and con- ■''■'.■'; scription of the men of New Zealand. ' ! iWe, as a, part of tho workers of. your . ■ have placed you in a posi- ";''.■ «tion of trust, and r wo" claim that wo ■have the right : to havo an account of : ; your stewardsliip, ; .Would', you kindly r■''.■•: inform us also in so important a matter as conscription, that the issue was not ' put to the; pooplo and a., referendum ■ :'• 'iaken. ! \,^;; ! y ;..;••,■;,'■: ''•■■ ' ; ., y; ■i .-■ "Wo should -be extremely, obliged: by ■: ; deceiving an early.reply. .. '; \: \ . --. ; -~.'■ Faithfully yours, '■' :' :: : : .. ;; '.(Sgd.) A, WEEKES, Secretary, .•■• ' ■ V ,■; ■•■•;'■■'• '■;)■'-.■■.' . WakMnarina Miners.. ■ : ■ ':■.■;■■.' ■;;:■■. -Nelson, March! 8,1917. -, ■: '.";- ..'■'. Dear sir,--Li' reply to your letter, Which iwas idelayed ; through being jiyrongly directed, I may etate that "I . : am in favour of'consoription hecaiise v•■ ,ULam- ! an anti-militaristi'and.l asi'.'con:'■'■.■■lvinoed that the only, way, to rid the iworld of militarism is to defeat Ger- ..'■.' 'many^aad.destroy the Gorman mili- ■■■ , -, caste, who began this war cxpect- ■; dng to enslave the worid. ■:...- \ '. ',:.'• Conscription appears to mo tho only fair and onuitablo, : method of national • , iJßervice. •Voluntary", service,' : to.'. my '.■■;■' :'mind, is-asunfair and unjust'as volunr. tary. taxation; ;'The. conscientious .and , 'Hugh-minded citizens enlist, and the sel- : ■~.:■ feh and cowaiyUy ones ehirk their, duty, just as.: in voluntary taxation the one .:'tlas3,would pay. their.'taxes and the •;btner class would pay nothing. I think '.'the Government should-have brought Conscription in at tbo beginning of tho . ! ■ 'Srar. ''.-■■■ ; .■ ■'-.■■/ '■..■'.,'.•.■■ '■' ■'■''" ' :Rβ Referendum.—There haa ; only : been one referendum before. Parliament since I entered it, and that wae on the 'six o'clock closing, and >I was surprised .lo notice Mr. i P. C. Webb, M.P.;/was prio of those who voted against it. On that occasion I said: "I am in favour ;'' (bf refer.endums all the time, and every ■ ; time. Ido not '.vote for, them wlien it :,■ •■."'Sorts me, and against, them when it Hoes:not suit me." , One'pf .the Labour, ■ :'.'' ; -members-'of'"'.the':'Hoiise,'^li6 , 'Easl i tho .':' i'eal interest of .the workers'at'heart,; .'■' said of Mr.. ; Webb!B Vote.'against this •■- .referendum':' , ;"Have;'. these, .mcii r an'y poUtical principles?" -.■ ■. :'■ . . ;'..:' p . '. I am; still in favour of referendums, Blthough I think that' Australia has ■disgraced, uefself for ever by her anti- ; conscription vote. The people were mis- j .V ■; Jed by German' lies' spread by German ' ..:■;...agents. A friend of mine who travelled ..' wough. America at the timo said the Germans were collecting money in lAmorica to iput down conscription in ',■;'. lAustralia, and said they, intended doina .:".. all they could to. step it. It was said large numbers of German agents and I/VV.W.'b were assisted to come across, : . and Count Bernstbrff, was tho means of 'getting the" necessary passports fixed '.-. iip-N They, said they l had sent about ' ;■'■• .half a miUion of money to Australia, . ',' ;" As regards your. question re ' War ißegulations. To my .-mind there is only. . :..'■■ one place for men , .who, intentionally ; tor unintentionally, are doing Germany's ; Idirty. work for her while our boye are .. .fighting and dymg at the front. The who refuses 'to fight the Huns for • /the protection of tie women and chil- . . idren; of the British: Empire against ' the German policy of frightfulttesa is : neither worthy of tho name of a man . nor worthy to he a citizen of the BritashEinpire. I enclose you the "Appeal ..; of the Belgian workmen" in case'you may not have read it. If the Germane ■~•' had the power they would treat the people of Australia and Now Zealand la-s they treated the people of Belgium : and Armenia.'. . '■ ■ .-"'■ '.'■■'■■ Toura faitlTully, : (Sg<3.) T. A. H. FIELD. ; --Ik. Weekcs, Esq., . . ; / Hon. See. Wakamarina Miners' Union, '■''■'-.■, '';'. ■ Deep Creek. ; . ■'■•.'■.■'■.