OUR UNWELCOME GUESTS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 405, 30 August 1918, Page 2

OUR UNWELCOME GUESTS

We have frequently written sunnily upon the subject of Ihe

danger we incur in leaving at

large among us so many Herman

and we need make no apology for

j returning once rnoie in the subject. The strong agitation for their Internment which is just now disturbing the public mind in the Homeland seems to us to afford a fitting occasion to renew our protest against the criminal carelessness which allows so undesirable and dangerous a class of people to enjoy not merely unrestricted liberty, but even permits them to remain In positions in which they have opportunities for working mischief which may have the direst consequences. Since our Parliament abrogated its functions and handed over the control and administration of public affairs to the unfettered discretion of a Cabinet, which, though dignified by the name of a National Government, is probably more out of touch with the people of the country than any Executive it has had since responsible government was first instituted, it has become more and more evident that the gentle Hun is fortunate enough to have some powerful influence protecting him from a forced retirement to a position in which he will be incapable of doing harm. How difficult it is to remove the taint of

the German element from public affairs may be gauged from the fate of the petition to the Governor-General praying for the dismissal of men of German blood from Government positions, Cabinet considered it and declined

to make any recommendation. The people of New Zealand are not of an agitating class. If anything they are too easy-going,

even upon matters of the most vital importance to the body politic— too prone let go on in silence things they know to be improper. They have uot yet grasped tfie fact that the members of even a National Government are the servants and not the masters of the people and only require a sharp lesson now and then to make them serve with

docile submission. Early in her history England comprehended the necessary remedy for negligent or wilful mismanagement upon the part of her rulers, and ever since June 15th, 1215, which may be termed the birth-day of modern democracy, has applied the corrective whenever it appeared necessary. Consequently] she has been better served by her 1 public men than any country in the world, and we have only to

follow her example to share her advantages. To-day she is reminding her Government of the danger the country is running by leaviug Germans at large and if

she speaks plainly enough they will shortly all be looking through

le barbed wires of an inter

ment camp. Is it not time for us to galvanise our National Government into action by speaking out plainly also ?

Napier, Gisborne and Wanganui have held public meetings at which they have passed resolutions demanding the internment of those of German blood and we think the time has come for Puke-

ohe to adil its voice to theirs,

If the Mayor will call a public meeting we are sure it will be largely attended. Barbed wire is a somewhat scarce commodity now-a-days, but if the Government cannot obtain it because it allows the dealers in motor-cars to monopolise the shipping-space,

there are a sufficient number oi patriotic farmers in New Zealanc;

to supply enough to build a cage :o hold these undesirables, even f they have to strip their own 'ences to provide it.