PRIVATE WEBB.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 April 1918, Page 5

PRIVATE WEBB.

: APPEAL FOR RELEASE. ' , .... -. WELLINGTON, April 12. A deputation claiming to represent 50,000 trade unionists, interviewed the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir James Allen, and the Hon. Mr. Wilford, to request the Government to release Mr. P. C. Webb, to enable him to attend his Parliamentary duties. The speakers were Messrs J. O'Brien (representing a Grey electors), H. Hunter (President of the Federation of Labour), and H. Holland (member of the executive of the New Zealand Labour Party). They suggested that the Government, toy

taking away Mr. Webb's political rights, was leaving people the resort of physical force. New Zealand was against conscription. Mr. Massey: I don't believe a wora of it. % Test it by taking a vote of the people. ( Mr. Massey: The people"s representatives are hero to-day, and I know what they think. They have their constituents behind them. The Premier, in the course of his reply, said the point was whether members of Parliament were to be allowed to break the law. There would be no exemption of members so far as he could prevent it. If Webb committed some crime under the Crimes Act, would the deputation ask for his release? There was a difference of opinion among lawyers as to whether Webb's offence was a crime. Finally Mr. Massey declared that anything in the way of disloyalty was the most serious crime a citizen of the Empire could be guilty of"fo"-day. A voice: Webb is not disloyal. Mr. Massey: He is in gaol for disobeying the laws of his country. Your request will go before Cabinet, but, so far as I'm concerned, no recommendation in the way you suggest will come from me. I have absolutely no sympathy with any symptom of disloyalty on the part of any member of the community. Mr. Walker urged the Premier to allow Parliament to consider an exemption clause for members this session. "Cabinet," replied Mr. Massey emphatically, "has already decided there shall be no such legislation this session."