AN ADAMANT MINISTER.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 69, 21 March 1919, Page 5

AN ADAMANT MINISTER.

AND THE SOLDIERS' VOTES. «■ NO WAY FOR THE STATE COACH. PT7BLIC INDIGNATION GROWING. LOCAL LAW MAKERS MAY CONFER. Tlie agitation by public men and vari- I Otis organisations in favour of the rein- { statement to their electoral rights of 1 the discharged soldiers who find them- < selves disfranchised as a result of the i Order-in-Council gazetted at the end of j. i last month has so far boon fruitless in j j breakmg through the strong door of js Government perversity. This morningjl I the secretary of the Auckland Returned i J Soldiers' Association, Mr. Andrews, re-11 i ecived tho following memorandum from t I the Minor. Mr. J. H. Gunson, on the I subject:— - j -I fear tliat it is impossible to get * ! very much satisfaction from tho Minis- i j tor with regard to tho position in which j < j many discharged soldiers find themselves '■ res;iect in, the forthcoming poll on the ' ' loth of April. In reply to my wire, the 11 I contents of which you are aware, I have ' received tho following telegram from the •' I Minister of Defence: — J I "In reply to your telegram of the lSth J' ] instant, the Attorney-General advises.' that the course .suggested by you, j < | namely, cancelling discharges and re-en- i ' listing for the purpose of enabling dis-j> ■ charged members of Kxpoditionary l-'orces to vote cannot legally be fcdopted. There is no moans by which I i tin exceptional provisions relating to • I j the Kxpoditionary Forces can be ex- 1 I tended to discharged soldiers. A state-/ , ment giving full information as to the 'position was distributed and appeared" lin the Press at tho beginning of the > ' current month.' ; "The position has already been fully |' | represented by most interests, including ' several members of Parliament," adds I Mr. Gunson. "but I suggest that you call, 1 ! tho Auckland members together to deal;! j further ■with the qupstion." ' It is tho intention of the Association j' ito act upon tho Mayor's advice and to i ; invite tlie Auckland members of Parlia-I ment to a conference at the earliest possible date to consider what further; stops can he taken in tho matter. Mr. (. If. Poolo. M.P., who wired to j j the A. ting-Premier the other day, is also I iin receipt of an answer in tne following, terms:—"ln reply to your telegram of, : ISth inst.. I have to state that the \ Legislature made special provision for j taking the votes of members of the ExIpeditionnry Forces. Your telegram asks the Government to extend these provisions to mon who have ceased to be members of the Expeditionary Forces. I ilt must he obvious that the" Government has no power to do so."' ■ Tho following telegram was dis--1 patched this morning to Sir James i Allen hy Mr A. Harris. M.P.:—'.'Re dis- ; franchise-tent of discharged soldiers. I i suggest that the Order-in-Touncil of February *_r>tli he revoked, or failing 1 that being possible that disfranchised soldiers be given an opportunity of rejoining Kxpoditionary Force by voluntary enlistment. It would then be posi sihle to grant them immediate leave I without pay, and they pould votp as I members of the Kxpoditionary Force." j I At a mooting of tho Auckland Ins* I . trict W.C.T.r. yesterday intense dis-l satisfaction was expressed at tho reply! from Sir damps Alien in answer to a| telegraphic appeal on behalf of tho dis- j franchised soldiers. Tho Acting Prime Minister's answer stated that it was impossible to dc anything further for the j ! soldiers who had hpen disfranchised. ; The following telegram was sent to Sir .lames Allen to-day hy Mr. H. Hughes, organiser of tho. Edon Prohibi-1 tion League:—"Large public meeting' Empire Theatre unanimously urged that | disfranchised soldiers be enfranchised to j enable them to vote at the coming poll." |