Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, MAY 7th. 1918. PREJUDICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, MAY 7th. 1918. PREJUDICE.

A correspondent in this issue, writing under the noiiiod© plume of “Justiciu,” evidently selected the allegorical type cl justice which is presented to the world blind-folded. Certainly lie ignores our whole- attitude, which was a plea (or fair-play, where a young man had Itcon misrepresented and was likely to he made a victim of circumstances over which he had no control. There seems to be a considerable amount of prejudice rampant in connection witli the case, and issues sire \ being brought in , which are quite foreign +o dm young man’s position.

Those who are so ready to follow the prejudiced views of the ease quite, overlook 1 lie actual eireurnstances, and for their enlightenment and in fairness to all concerned, let us briefly review the position. This young man volunteered I’iir active service-. He was rejected,

( heing medically unfit. Later he was /called up in the ballot, classed Cl, and ■front- off to camp, where he was not physically tit- to stand the training, and lie was discharged. Now let ns pause here, and out the question, that- if lie hail qualified and gone to the war, what would have been said of him? If further, when first enlisting, before conscription was in force, he had been able to go to the front-, and had been among the casualties, what- would have been thought of liim? Many sons of German parentage have fought, on the, side of the British. Several have gone from this district, and some of them have fallen. What is the public attitude towards those men whose names are on the roll of honour? Let us put the young man's ease another way. Eliminating the fact that he had volunteered, supposing he had been conscripted and gone off to the war, would the people in the fullness of time deny him anv position lie was capable of filling The young man went as far as he could in the matter of military service. He entered camp, donned I khaki, and did his hit as long as lie could. When his health broke down, he was honourably discharged. What fairness is there now in denying him the privileges of a discharged man? Where is the British fair-play we boast of if one who offers his services, shows his willingness to serve, and then breaks down in health,-is to be ostracised and made the victim of unreasonable public opinion Looking hack at the record of many of the• young men from this district of German extraction who have gone- to the front, wq know nothing but the highest appreciation to their credit. When some of them fell for the British cause the deepest sympathy was expressed. Was that all simulated and false hypocrisy ? Looking back further at the lives of the mothers and fathers of the lads we have just referred to, they were all excellent pioneers of this district. Upright people who lived here for many years, and led a life such as would lead one to expect- their sons to stand by the country in the time of stress. To-day there are not a few of these sterling colonists amongst ns. Some of them are. in business and professions aiul the folk trade regularly with them. They enjoy the respect of the community. There is no demand for their victimisation. Many ok. them in their more active younger days held civic appointments at the g/ft- of the people. Time has proved that that judgment was not wrong with the people we have in mind. The local lad frhn has laid tin foundation of a- promising career by his zeal and ability to advance himself should, if we value fairplay at its true worth, be given a fair run, for the record he has put up is entirely to his credit and one which all who have a regard for what the town can turn out, must admire.

Tin: -message conveyed by Mr Lloyd George from the British Army, “ Be of good cheer,” while quite of bright optimism, must not lull the nation into a source of false security again. The great battle of the Western offensive is far from ended, and if wo read the cables aright, the Allies holding the line and barring the way to the French ports will have an uphill fight to make before the German onslaught is finally broken and thrown back. The report which states that- the enemy can roach the French littoral only over the bodies of the -British Army, is something akin to General Haig’s order to his Army to fight t-o the death. The position revealed by the plight of the British at Oambrai that they were without adequate reserves, seems to be .confirmed again in the present stringency. It would appear from the. cabled summary of the military situation published yesterday, that- there is still a shortage of men in the fighting line. .This is confirmed also by the absence of any material counter-attacks by the Allies during the temporary lull forced upon the enemy. The high ground won about Kcnunel is still with the enemy, aud this would not be. tolerated were the Allies strong enough to wrest the vantage point from' the Germans. That high ground makes the British hold on Ypres perilous, and while this menace, lasts, the situation on the battle front is far from satisfactory. The Army’s message should give the country, nevertheless, renewed courage, and that abiding confidence in tho. prowess of our gallant- Army which will carry the- nation to victory. But hopes and words alone will not achieve the great task before us. It is for deeds now to achieve victory, and the deciding force to win that rosult is men and more men. The bugle call must- be answered no loss gallantly now than when the first call was made upon the nation to rush to arms.

1 There is reported to he some hitch of a legal nature in regard to the proposed appointments to the legislative Council. The Cabinet would have found it no . -doubt to their advantage to have given the business the happy despatch pf prompt action, and so saved themselves I from the great amount of wire-pulling which will go on while the whole business is suspended for the time being. It is to be hoped that when the full announcement is finally given out, provision will he made for reasonable labour representation in the revising Chamber. : The “ tips” so far published do not contain any prominent or active workers, hut as the list has still to die added to, the amends might vot he made. The suggestion that Mr Seymour Thoruo George is not to ho re-appointed will t>e regretted on sentimental grounds. As a nephew of the late Sir George Grey he was a link with the past. Hokitika is interested in this gentleman’s politic- i I id history, because here he had his first ; I political experience*. As to the ap- j pointmonts generally, it was necessary j to reinforce the Council, which had been ! depleted over much of late. - Tho Re- - form Government had a- proposal to j make the Upper House elective under ! a preferential system of voting. Jt. is. not clear that Mr Massey was altogether in earnest over his proposal, hut the war caused it to be dropped, and the question has not been raised since. Some elective system should he introduced in order to make the representation more democratic. The privilege of appointments by parties is not, sound in itself, though the abuses of the ay strip have not- beep glaringly mit-

standing. But a material reform must coine, an t | it will be one of the duties of Parliament when tlm war does notInrun so huge on the horizon of general politics to take up the question and deal broadly with the important question.