AN EXCESS OF ZEAL

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 83, 11 October 1912, Page 8

AN EXCESS OF ZEAL

Says ''Lyttelton Times*' of September 28: "We are inclined to agree with our indignant correspondent that the local military authorities made a 'tactfcal blunder' in instituting proceedings against tlie shopkeeperwho appeared in the Court yesterday charged with Jnvinq; displayed in his window an extract from a newspaper without the imprint prescribed by law. Tho defendant had not committed a military offence, and if he liad committed any other kind of offence he should have been called to account by the civil authorities on thoir own initiative. The knowledge that officers of the Defence Force mt- wandering about the city gazing into shop windows in the hope of detecting some breach of the law by anti-militarists or passive resisters ia

mm likely i<> brum; I hose lic-LOialed people lo a sp"edy ivengni. inn oi their error. On the rontraiy, ii can only sheimllieu them in 'heir delusion that alley are manyr- in the cans;' of liberty and thus jiroloii; their foolish opposition to a \ciy inees ary measure ol national profeeiion. No doubt the gentleman who laid the information is a very admirable oilieer. but unless he was ai ■line under instiuci ions he allowed Ids y.eal Lo sadly outrun his di.-< leiioi; when he hurried oil lo ihe police io complain of (lie aim.-araive ol the -di . 'mil of 1„0,.* ;,,':, ;.adceaii'-. window. Tl- ( j, (ciidaie, en I hi-. l'neod r -v. dl m ver I), Hove lost i! was ihe absence el the imprint so much as the presence of the anti-military sentiment that got him into trouble, aud we shall never hear the last o! ao incident that has provided thorn with a brand new giievanco against* the syslem of military naming."