THE NEW ZEALAND CONSCRIPTION ACT AND HOW AN OLD CAMPAIGNER LOOKS AT IT.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 31, 6 October 1911, Page 13

THE NEW ZEALAND CONSCRIPTION ACT AND HOW AN OLD CAMPAIGNER LOOKS AT IT.

Sir, —There has recently been passed Avithout consulting the people an Act called the Ncav Defence Act. Why could not its promoters have been honest and given it its proper name —N.Z. Conscription Act. What matttrs it what coloured coating be given to- a pill if the ingredients are. the same ? Now, Sir, if the scheme Avas what one Avould be led to believe at first thought it Avas —the defence of N.Z. only —a great deal of the opposition to it would disappear. But Avhat guarantee have these lads or their parents that they could not or Avould not be taken out of the Dominion to assist England, when next she is engaged in one of her filibustering expeditions like * the recent South African Avar? This ■ phase of the question" is a A-ery im- &- pcrtant one to mc, and a good many

more, who, like myself, have been a soldier and seen active service. I served in the Afghan campaign of 1879-80 and the Egyptian campaign of 1882 —six years in the army, six in the reserve, and nine in the A r -olunteers. And yet what forced mc and the family to emigrate to NeAV Zealand ? Why, the fact that after fighting for Avhat I honestly thought Avas my country, and serving all those years, I could not obtain a living in it. I Avould ask those folks Avho are so ardently in favour of the Conscription Act hoAV long they Avould Avork for their masters if they did not receive sufficient remuneration for their services to enable them to obtain a decent living? Not long, 1 think. Then Avhy should I be a consenting party to my sons fighting for a-country that aa-o could not live in, and Avhich teems I with millionaires? Another important phase of the scheme is, Avhat guarantee have the working-class and the parents of these lads got that they would not and could not be utilised in any shape or form against the Avorkers in cases of industrial disputes, as has happened so often in Great Britain? Surely the recent happenings there, Avhere the red coat Avas called upon to shoot (and did, too) his brother Avith the fustian coat, speakes volumes. Anyone avlio takes the slightest interest in the social questions of this Dominion must I know that the days of the Arbitration Court are numbered. It has been weighed in tlie balance and found ivancing. There has always been a nail under the scale of the masters' side, and so the workers az'e recognising the mistake they made Avhen they surrendered their right to strike. In the near future, they Avill undoubtedly resume that right. The Government has already stated its intention to raise special corps of other trades or occupations so that when the men strike as workers they may be in the right, but AA'hen they are called upon by the Government to don the red or khaki coat, they Avill find themselves in the Avrong for doing the same thing. And knoAVing the fondness of their class-consci-ous officers to give the order to fire on the strikers—instances of which Aye have lately had—l will again ask these ardent supporters of this conscript scheme what would they think of mc if by any act of mine I Avas the means of making cither of my sons into Avhat is considered the Avorst of all murderers, namely, a parricide. For they might shoot mc ; and this same remark applies to you one and all. My felloAV Avorkers, just weigh it over in your mmd —I mean mothers as Avell as fathers. There is just another question I should like to knoAv more about than I or the general body of workers, or even the Territorials, do. Is the Government going to pay the trade union rate of Avages? As far as I can hear about it, the Avages are about 4s a day and part of their rations (this rate does not include General Godley). This rate may be nearly as good as many of these lads Avould get at their ordinary occupations, but the scheme, can be and Avill undoubtedly be extended to include all up to 30 years of age. There will be among these men plenty earning three of four or more times that amount. Will they receive while in camp their trade union rate of wages, because if so, General Godley's estimate of £400,000 per annum will fall far short of the actual cost; or on the other hand, is the Government going to act as sAveaters to the men whom they have forced into an occupation distasteful and utterly repugnant to a large number of them ? I need not remind my readers Avho Avill have to pay for it all.

There are some more questions in this, scheme that I and others would Ike to kuoAV some more about, but I am afraid I am trespassing teo much on your valuable space. —Yours fraternally, a father of seven! sons, Well. S.G.J.