MINISTERS FIRM

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3061, 24 April 1917, Page 8

MINISTERS FIRM

ACT TO BE MAINTAINED THE ENEMY WITHIN. Soiuo reference to industrial troubles were made by' members of the Government at an Anzac Day gathering in the Commercial Travellers' Club yesterday. There was a large attendance of business men, who carried amid cheers a motion pledging-themselves to support the Government in any action it might find it necessary to take in connection with tho coal strike.

Tho Hon. A. L. Herdman, AttorneyGeneral, said that a Government which did its,.ditto iii war time must oxpect to offofd some sections of. the community. The imperative interests of the nation were apt to override the privileges, and even the peace-time rights of individuals, and the National Government of New Zealand had received its full share of blame in this connection. It had been'accused _ of many sins of commission l and omission. But the consideration that must weigh first with patriotic people was that the present was no time for sectional differences and industrial strife. The nation must stand united in the face of tit© enemy, and all men must be prepared to make sacrifices-and give the best that was in them in the national cause. Certain men" might look blackly at the Government and threaten trouble because Parliament had required them to do their share of fighting and behave as loyal and reputable British citizens. But the Government was prepared to do its duty in the face of threats of that kind.

"If I were asked what was the most serious problem faced by the Government of this country since tho outbreak of war," said the Minister, "I would answer that it was not the fight against the enemy beyond our territory, but the fight against the enemy within our own boundaries. I believe that the people of New Zealand profoundly regret that since the outbreak of war those whoso duty it has been to manage the affairs of the country havo been persistently embarrassed in their efforts by a band of men who, although numerically few, are, I am_ sorry' to have to say, dangerous, mischievous, irresponsible, and disloyal. Those men do not want to fight. They will not fight; they will not let others fight, and neither will they work'. Apparently it matters not to them if tho war does not end in our favour. They are not moved by tho fact that if others acted as they do tho hordes of ruffians who have perpetrated unspeakable atrocities in Belgium might overrun British territories. It matters not to' them that our wives and daughters might suffer violence at the hands . t of miscreants from Ceutral Europe, or that if tho enemy carried, tho day peace, liberty, a.nd fair plav might be lost to tho world for ever. All these things arc immaterial, it seems, to men who aro prepared to play the enemy's game by holding up the business of tho country and checking our military operations." _ These men plight' say that they wore misled or misguided, out in time of war no man had a right to bo misled or misguided in regard to his duty to his country. Whether they knew it or not, the men who were making trouble in New Zealand at a critical stage of the war were being unfaithful to the British flag, and were doing their utmost to besmirch the fair fame of Now Zealand. The Dominion's soldiers in 'France had covered themselves with glory, but a section of New Zealand people at homo would say of those men: "They aro fools to light.. Let them perish." "The question is," said Mr. Herdman, "how long will the citizens of New.Zealand tolerate disaffection in their midst? This kind of thing cannot go on. Aro' we going to allow men to, fight the battles of the Gorman Emperor in our midst? My answer- is, Never!" (Cheers.) In conclusion, Mr. Herdman said that Britain' wanted m«a and food, and ,

it was the duty and privilege of New Zealand to assist in supplying those needs. Thore must bo no faltering and no dissension. He hoped that those present would pledge themselves to allow absolutely nothing to stand in the way of the proper prosecution of the war. No man who was true to his country could go slow on his job at -thu present time. The New Zealand soldiers were winning laurels of famo at tho front, and the people at home must see to it that no Prussian-tainted inhabitant of this country tore down these lauiels and trampled them in the mud. It was the duty of all to play their parts as loyal and steadfast citizens of New Zealand; to stand behind those on whose shoulders were heavy burdens, and to assist in the winning of the glorious victory that he nad never doubted would be gained by.ih* Allies in tho end. (Prolonged applause.; The Hon. G. W,. Kusßell said that he regarded the miners' strike with very keen regret. During twenty-five years of. political life he had fought for labour; he had helped the workers ia" ovory way* in his power, and he liaa taken his part in the framing and passing of much legislation that had neon of very great value to the workers. But i as a member of the present National Government, he could nay that he and i his colleagues stood steadfast and united, and would allow nothing whatever to' stand in the iray of carrying New Zealand's share of the war to a successful conclusion. There' was no difference of opinion in Cabinet on that point; Labour, and overy other class, must dp its share under the Military Service Act, which Parliament nad declared the law of the land. (Applause'.; \ ' ( : " -• •■ The Hon. A. MY Myers said that he wished to associate himsolt . heartily with what his colleagues had.said. It democracy meant equality'of opportunity, it also meant equality of losponsibility and equality of sacrifice when the nation was in danger. . 'The incmbers of the National Government stood 1 &i one man in their determination to do their duty, and to discharge tulij their responsibilities. New Zealand had ranked as one of the most loyal, of the daughter States of the Empire, and that reputation should not be imperilled by the actions of a few misguided men. He did,not believe that the-people of New Zealand would-tolerate such a state of affairs. "The Military Servkb Act is on the Statute Book, and it stands good," added- the Minister. "There must be no misunderstanding on that scoro. The men who have been making troublo will be well-advised to do their duty to themselves, to tneir wives, to their families, and to their country by -'doing their bit,' "a very' small sacrifice compared to that, of thu heroes whose day we are'celebrating." (Cheers.) ".

Sir James Carroll, said tuat one of the things that had impressed him during his recent.visit to''the United Kingdom, was the readiness with which the workers were co-operating in, the prosecution of the war: There was unariim ity among all'classes regarding the paramount necessity, of carrying iio struggle to a successful conclusion, no matter, what the cost in effort and sacrifice might be. The workers wwe putting country before self-interest it every point. He had felt, .he said, that the workers in the Mother Country were _ led by strong and brainy men, firm in their determination to do tfcidc duty. Their attitcde. had not 'nriUka. any abandonment of principle or of political belief. Points of difference were being held' over until tbo-nation had conquered the enemr ' Tbe section of the community which' had been living in civil estrangement with the' workers had come hasf-way to meet the workers, and the. two groups, employers and employed, had joined hauds against the common foe. They were working shoulder to'shoulder, and o<it of their co-operation was going to come a great and glorious victory.