LAW AND ORDER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 8

LAW AND ORDER

FEUDING ASSAULT CASES i ' APPEAL TO MINISTER BY DEPUTATION OF PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION MINISTER WILL' ENFORCE LAW. A. deputation from the Protestant Political Association waited yesterday upon the Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Justice, regarding the assaults committed at Feilding on Wednesday night oil two Protestant ministers of religion after a meeting under the auspices of the association. The Hon. W. Earnshaw introduced the deputation. The subject on which they wished to speak, he said, was one of very great public gravity. It was with regret 'thai they felt the necessity of approaching the Minister. They recognised that during the period of the war Mr. Wilford was intensely desirous that the enemy abroad should be subdued, and that the people of New Zealand- should be one harmonious family for the consummation of that end. But they recognised that there were not only foes abroad, but foes at home threatening greater danger- within our borders, The enemy at home was ever a menace to the well-being of the community. "No Sectarian Bitterness," The Rev. Knowles Smith • saidrthat he -wished first to assure the Minister that it was with deep regret that they had had need to ask him to meet the* deputation. They had not come with any feelings of sectarian bitterness, nor had they any word to say against their Roman Catholic' fellow-citizens.' He would remind the Minister that the Roman Catholic Federation was a much older body than the Protestant Political Association, and there , had yet to he chronicled any , attempt at disturbance of any of their meetings, or any attempt at assault on any of their speakers. Indeed, the Protestant Political Association came into existence because'of the aggressive attitude and policy of 'the Roman Catholic Federation and the refusal of that body to remain quiet during the war. The deputation wished to call attention to tha diabolical assault on two Protestant ministers .while they wero returning their homes after the meeting at Feilding the previous evening. Tho. assaults were of such serious character that they might have resulted in murder'. This was the second time that _ this country had had to witness Protestant- ministers assaulted in cold blood. Tho first was that on the Rdv. Howard El- ( liott. On this last occasion these two clergymen were by ho means' prominent members of the association. Indeed, ho believed that both of them were present as local clergymen, and that they had not before been to any meeting of the association. Surely it was a very grave state of affairs when two Protestant clergymen had to faco the possibility of being assaulted >when they took upon themselves the privileges of ordinary citizens, and when they took part in an endeavour to relieve this Dominion from the machinations of a minority of its subjects. A Magistrate's Word. . It was suggested that this second case arose out of the first, and he asked why it was that a Magistrate should be allowed so far to forget tho position that li-c- occupied as to express • a personal opinion which practically gave warrant for such ail affair as that which had just occurred at Feilding. He referred to the.remarks of Mr. Frazer, Stipendiary at Auckland, when ho said in effect that in the last assault case Mr. Howard Elliott £ot what ho deserved, or part of what" ho deserved. ■ This statement was viewed with great alarm by the Chief Justice, for on the following day 1 ho mado an emphatio statement in opposition to it. Mr. S. E. M'Carthv, S.M.. also viewed | it with concern, becauso he quoted it on an occasion afterwards, and said that this was not his view. Tho statement of .Mr. FrnMr was practically an incitement to this section of the community that they could go on doing this sort of thing, and thev had evidently read it as such. Had either of these assaults resulted in the deatli of the victim, then in his opinion this statement of Mr. Frasser would have contributed to his death. Possibilities of "-Reprisals." Ho would say frankly that in tho opinion of the deputation something should be done to counteract tho effect of the statement. The Dominion secretary of the association would be able to tell the Minister that from one end of the country to the other there was tt strong feeling of resentment among the members of the association, and that it was only with the utmost difficulty that they were, held in check. Tlioy were getting more and more incensed, You know, sir," continued Mr. Smith, "that Protest-ant loyalty is but the time might come when, the people of , the Protestant community may ; he incensed beyond measure," and if that time should come it will he your Department that will have to face a very terrible situation. Only a day or two ago my telephone was rung, and an unknown voice said to me that I might very quickly find myself in exactly the 's«mc position as the Rev. Howard Elliott. . .

The feeling of our people is .that if this sort of thing is to continue they will, make reprisals, and this feeliug isgrowing very strong. Wo have conm to you to ask you to sen that your Department will take such measures as will prevent this very disastrous thing from taking place. \Ve recognise that you have difficulties; indeed, your difficulties are part pf the reasons for our organisation. At Feilding it will be impossible to find tho assailants of these ministers, because there are so many men in your Department who do not wish , to find them. 1 Mr, Wilford: I can't listen to that. Mr. .Smith: Well, I am saying it. Mr. Wilford: It is no use taking up that attitude. Mr. Smith insisted that ho was fact. The association found that their meetings were invaded by persons who could only get into the meetings by obtaining tickets in some surreptitious way. And evei the public thoroughfares were not safe for them. He personally was not a tiinid man, but was it fair that he should be asked to walk abroad in constant expectation of assault? They looked to the Minister as head of the Justice Department to deal very effectively with the matter. When the l'rotestant clergymen of the Dominion were placed in this position it was surely time that something was done. They thought that it was time that the Government stepped in to prevent a very lamentable state of affairs. They c d. not forget the fait that this disturbing section of the community was a very small section. The motto ii the Protestant Political' Association was, "Equal rights for all, special privileges for none." If there were other occurrences of tho sort they would bo felt very keenly by the Protestant community. Moreover ; the Dominion' secretary of the association would be able to-'- tell the Minister that if this thing were not stopped it would result in a great political upheaval, affecting very seriously many of the present representatives- of the people unless the Government took up a position that

was fair and straight, and protected the rights of. the Protestant majority of the people, Mr. S. Bilby, Dominion secretary of the Protestant Political Association, said that lie had travelled all over the country in his organising work, and he could say that there was a- very strong feeling among the Protestants against the actions of the Roman Catholics, and that that feeling would be very muoh intensified by this second assault. Tliey therefore asked the Government to take sucli steps as would allay this feeling that had been aroused. Mr: J. Aston, Mr. G. Petherick, and Mr. Earnshaw spoke in support of what had been said by Mr. Smith.

Minister's Reply. Mr. Wilford said that he was very glad of the opportunity of stating lii's views as Minister of Justice on the position that had arisen. • "As Minister of Justice," said Mr, Wilford, "I know no religion, and no sect. I meet you' to-day as a deputation of citizens of New Zealand, caring_ nothing-in my administration of justice what your religion may he. Before you came to me I had already taken this matter in band. Before you asked for a deputation I considered it ray duty from the reports of what had taken place to give instructions immediately for steps to bo taken for the discovery of the 1 men who had committed the assault on these two gentlemen. Before your deputation came I had already given instructions' to the Commissioner of Police to lose no time and to make every effort for the purpose of bringing to justice the men who had committed this cowardly assault upon fhese two men. Gentlemen, if they' are caught my province with them is finished. From the statements we have of' the injuries to these two men the offences with which the accused men will be charged will he indictable offences ; to be dealt with by the Supreme Court. My clear , and plain duty, and one from which I shall never swerve, is to preserve law and order, in such manner as to allow every citizen of this country to go about bis business free and unmolested; without let or hindrance. On Free Speech. "Tho question of tree speech which your urge to ire is variously construed. There is a ciass of speech, especially in war time, that I shall do my very best to prevent. . . . But officers and men of the Police Force will be available to protect public speakers in public placos from interruption, so that they may have the opportunity to publicly make their views known cither to their own ffiends or to the public at, large as long as they do not preach sedition or revolt. I have, perhaps, a difficult job to dp here. I don't know whether,the men that we have at our disposal, or the instructions I have given, will be effectire. All that I can do as Minister of -Justice is immediately to put the law in motion, and to follow lt up with every possible method to sheet home, to the wrong-doer his wrong-doing. . . . Other Questions. ' "As to whether you should be an association or -not, /as to whether the Catholic Federation should cajrv on—l am not going to concern inyself with any religion at all. Directly I begin to take sides as Minister of Justice I become unfit for the position. "I can't listen to anything said about members of tb.G Polic;: Force! A? a Minister of the Crown-1 must hold tho men of my Department to le ail honest lor- of men until it is proved to me that they are otherwise. I believe them ig> be honest men. 1 regard them simply as men of 'my Department, and i don't consider what their religion is." Mr. Wilford's last word was one of wariiinc against attacks made on the -Now Zealand Judiciary, of which he thought the .country might- j well be proud. -,