DRASTIC REGULATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1916, Page 2

DRASTIC REGULATIONS.

iii; TO CHECK AGITATION. M ***■ • W (From Our Own Correspondent.)" Wellington, Dee. (!. Tlic, war regulations issued in a Gazette Extraordinary to-night are tl)(: roast drastic vet enacted in New Zealand. Evidently they are intended to .dieck agitation against the Military Service Act, and to prevent the dissemination of the views of the peace-at-any-fricc people, who would accept peace even if it involved the defeat of the Allies in the present war. One clause of the regulations, for instance, makes it an offence for any person to "discourage the prosecution of the present war to a victorious conclusion." Such an interference with t'he right of free speech would have Jteen unthinkable prior to August 4, 19.14; but th& war has forced strange decisions upon the democratic cotnir,unities. The New Zealand Government. after very careful consideration of all the conditions, has felt it necessary to brand as vm enemy of the State the man who talks of peace before the Allies have vindicated the rights of free peoples egainiji'the rights of militarism. If the rights of the- free peoples are to be vindicated in the end, they jnust be suspended temporarily in order that there may be no dissipation of the national foiees in the face of the enemy. The Government may not intend to use drastically all the:powers that it is taking under the new regulations. There are indications, indeed, that the Government will be disposed to allow a considerable amount of latitude in public discussion. But apparently such a conference as the waterside workers have summoned, to consider stops for securing the repeal of the Military Service Act, wili be banned, - .