WAKE UP, NEW ZEALANDERS!

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 79, 13 September 1912, Page 5

WAKE UP, NEW ZEALANDERS!

Workers musti awake to tlie fact that ] the press is employed to force measures antagonistic to a true democracy upon the people, and recognise the importance of supporting their own organs. Two of tho leading newspapers of New Zealand have been using their power to pervert information rather than give it. The English workingman—who could bring to a young land those qualities so necessary for its development, pluck, energy and endurance—turns v. it li strong aversion from conscription. Hence it is inconvenient when matters glossed over in this country are ventilated in England. The Auckland "Herald" the other day dismissed as untrue an English report of the established facts of /the treatment of boys imprisoned under the Defence Act in Lyttelton jail, since the Auckland chief jailer was able to deny that tho Mt. Eden lads were- thus treated. Then the Christchurch "Press," tho advocate of censorship in England for j defence communications, seizes upo-i the Auckland denial and applies it to the whole of New Zealand. The following, letter 'n reply to the above niis-staipments was unable to find access to th = local press. It underestimates the number of imprisoned lads. (To the Editor of the Christchurch "Press.") Bir,—ln your issue of Monday, tho 19th inst , in a suh-leader, you take exception in remarks made by an English Quaker in the London "Christian World"" regarding the working of the Defence Act in New Zealand—remarks whioh you class as hysterical and even as lies. Now, Sir, I wish to deal with the statements one by one, and 1 hope to pro\o. that you are sadly misinformed in these matters, or that you have been wilfully guilty of publishing statements concerning ihe truth of which there are grave doubts. In the first, place, you cast doubt en the statement tha.l* ho: 3 have been prosecuted by hundreds and have been Hupriioned hy dozens, saying that are exaggerations. In an ''Evening Nomvs" which happens to be at hand, you publish tlie fact that 48 young men were prosecuted in Auckland on one day, date March 7, and in the same paper appears news of lo cases up at the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, for decision. At about this time there were iv Lyttelton jail together eight boys set. ing terms of imprisonment with hard labor. Everyone in touch with the daily events through the newspapers, though these do not publish particulars in all cases, knows that hundreds of boys have been prosecuted, wlulr-'- as to the number jailed under the Act so far there have been 49 at least in this "GorPs Own Country." The Maojitund Wobkek has for weeks past published names of 38, and since then there have been at least six from Waihi and five lying in jail from Huntly. While on this point, I would like to say that if your insinuation that boys had not been prosecuted by hundreds was true jt lays the defence authorities open to the charge of not having administered the law as embodied in the Act, for some time ago Mr. Allen. Minister of Defence, laid on ihe table of the. House figures showing that some 0087 persons had not registered, and there arc far more defaulters who have not taken the oath or who have refused to render personal service, as witness the daily papers. In tho second place, as 1 regards the age of boys imprisoned for non-compli-ance with tlie Act in this country, where an untaught Maori lad of 17 was hanged for killing his fellow-man, another youth, a European, has been twice thrown info prison whilp si ill 1" years of age, for refusing to train to kill his' fellows. Facts, Mr. Editor.' are stubborn übiugs. ! Thirdly, you class as fals<,> ihe statement that boys Mere set to pick oakum and were in solitary confinement for 16 hours a day. As the father of a boy wdio served, a term in Lyttelton jail for refusing to become a conscript, T know only too well the treatment meted out to lads there. Then why go for information to ihe Governor of Mt. Eden jail? Could you not have approached the Governor of Lyttelton jail, where we. have had eight boys at a, time 9 He could bear out these points: (1) That boys were made to pick oakum. (2) That finger-prints and full description were taken as in ordinary criminal cases. (i) That they were dressed in convict dress and fed on prison diet. (A) That boys were confined each in a sen;, rate cell from 4..10 to 8.3(1 the following morning, to say nothing of the lime of confinement midday. Now, n»a!lv is (his not. solitary confinement for l<i hours a day, oy perhaps, however, yon, in .vuiir wisdom would, prefer to call it. solitary confinement for 16 horns •j flight-; In vutb •h''? poini. (he jailing of beys, f should like to call attention io the fact that some boys believe with -T. R. Lowell thai.: *'.P"f you take a sword an' dror it, An' go slack a teller thru, Gnv'mcnt ain't to answer for it, Gdrpll send the bill io you." The concluding poriion of your article is very significant. U not the National Service League capable of suppressing truth as it' h'-il-*** nut at lTomo that N'oav Zealand is obliged to send England a- special represent-it ive to deny repor-s ; antagonistic Io 'he scheme.--Yours, etc., j Aug r :'i HENRY WPRRAI.T-.