MR. WEBB AND EXEMPTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 132, 21 February 1918, Page 6

MR. WEBB AND EXEMPTION

Mr. P. C. Webb, M.P., made reference, speaking at tho meeting in support of Mr. Holland in the Post Office Square at noon yesterday, to the publication of the telegrams which Lave passed between the Government and the miners' 'unions on the question of exemption for himself from military service. He said no word of condemnation of the action oi-the minors; his effort was to justify or excuse them. Nor did he attempt to disprove the truth of the telegrams.

Mr. Webb expressed disapproval <f tlie effort of the Government to discredit Mr. Holland's candidature through the miners of the West Coast. He said that it was not the miners alone who wore asking, exemption for him, but the big majority'of the people ir. his electorate, including the- farmers, the business people, and the workers generally. The boys who had returned from the front, too, were asking exemption for him, ami also the fathers and mothers of the men away on service. He would be willing to take a vote on the question now among the soldiers in camp, and to abide by the result. He liad not sought exemption when he was called up. The request had come from the people- in his constituency, hacked by the miners all over New Zealand. Ho decided to resign his seat, but'3o,ooo people had Urged that lie be retained in Now Zealand as their representative in Parliament. Be contrasted Jsis case with that of tl»<! police, saying that the men who enforced the laws were, exempted, while there was no exemption for the men who made the laws. Ho declared that it was absolutely ciuel of the Government to endeavour to damage the candidature, of Mr. Holland in this way. ' -■