RUNANGA AGAIN !

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 8 July 1915, Page 2

RUNANGA AGAIN !

THE hot-bed of socialism in. New Zealand is supposed to be located on' the West Coast, with its headquarters at the Government township of Runanga. From the very interesting centre (which boasts in the person of the Rev. Mosses Ayrton, a parson of the most aggressive Socialistic type) comes a remit which certainly should find no place for discission during the present critical period in the fortunes of the Empire. The Runangaites ask the Social Democratic Party to regard " the European conflict as a crime precipitated against humanity and as cutting across the international faith of the world's working class movement. We urge (the remit proceeds) upon the movement to seize upon every opportunity to bring to a speedy termination this horrible slaughter of human life that is now taking place ; and, in order to prevent a recurrence of such an international disturbance, we recommend the Government to see that the British Diplomatic Service and the Foreign Office are democratised." With equal wisdom (or lack of it), the Wellington Branch also asks the Party to condemn " the present system of Secret and autocratic diplomacy and pledges itself to co-operate with the working class parties of the other parts of the British Empire in working for its abolition." There is, of course, not the slightest possibility, of effect being given to either of these recommendations, the unwisdom of which must be apparent to everyone who gives the matter any sort of consideration at all. It is,simply unthinkable that, even if the New Zealand Government was foolish enough to adopt the recommendation of the Runanga and Wellington Socialists (and with them their very unfair implication that our Empire is responsible for the present fearful struggle, and that the British Diplomatic Service and Foreign Office are the storm centres responsible for such conflict), its representations would carry any weight with, or produce any effect upon, the Imperial authorities. The Socialists might just as well call upon the British Government to disband its Armies and Navies, and to destroy all its fortifications and protective w;orks, as to abandon the only means.it has of keeping in touch with Continental and other World Powers. When the history of the present war comes to be written it will, we think, be found that the British Diplomatic Service and the Foreign Office have both approved themselves to be the champions of liberty, and of democratic Government. And yet Sir Joseph Ward's allies, tbe Social Democrats, want them both " democratised!"