INVERTEBRATES

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1917, Page 3

INVERTEBRATES

(N Z. Timss.) The revelations of the Arbncklß i cablegram made during the hearing of 1 the sedition cases at Auckland has sent a thiill of pained astonishment through ■ thß Dominion. The prosecuting coun- • eel regarded the document as a proof that a certain association of private persons bad grasped the reins of government in New Zealand. The defending counsel urged that this had besn done with the consent of the Government of the day. Subsequently the Minister for Justice explained bow it had been. Accord ; ng to him, the Aoting Prime. Minister, fearing that the King s work—vital to the oonduct of the war —might be in danger of interruption from tfce association in question, ask"ed him to see about it. He accordingly did see about it, and found doubts on the part of the association about the attitude of a similar Australian association of private persons, to which it owed allegiance. The local association had given the Gov-" ernment “ permission ” to carry on the King’s service ; was doubtful whether this or subsequent permissions which might bo necessary would be allowed ; and refused to hurry its leisurely way by paying for a cable message requesting orders. The upshot was that the Minister for Justice helped to concoct the necessary document, which his secretary wrote out, and paid for the transmission with public money. He did not sign the document, which asked for permission for the Government to carry on the King’s service, but from first to last he was party to _ it. The Government, in fact, went hat in band to the local association as representative of the foreign association, and humbly eusd for permission to carry on tbe King’s service. If the Government bad possessed backbone, it would, the moment any question arose about the continuance of the King’s service, have at once informed the loial association that at the first siga of trouble it would itself ojal the King’s ships, and that any interference with such Dialing woald be a sad thing for tbe inlet ferers. Bat the Government, not having backbone, preferred to ask for permission to carry on the King’s service, vital for the war as it was. As there is no adjective in tbo dictionary (that we can use) that can fitly characterise such dereliction of the first duty of government, we must pass it by in silence.