FIRE SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 43, 20 February 1940, Page 6

FIRE SPEECH.

6ome of yoor eor*esponde»t« oeem a . , bit hysterical on this subject. They • > want to enppraM Oommontata aad other* || whoso utterance* are, in their opinion, Jgp designed to frustrate New Zealand's *« | J effort. I agree that they should be anp- ,:sy pressed, bnt I don't agree with means that are being 1 adopted.. K the Government decided to declare the Ons«-" ■nnniet party •* JDepl would support the dwtfan —bnt H i J not for > groap of XjUfeti to ntaka tjil i decision. Jjeb those rf yw "M* pondents who are atewkajf for the suppression of free apseefc aoaato that they are forging a. sharp, two-edgssfcg® «word. Some time it may wit tM>",3jll Government, or another Government, to" use the other edge of the iwri on ttt. people who now think it a vefy prrtty j|| weapon. TA£E A LONGER 'VOW,; vj

In an«wer to a letter ripwi |»f *Cnrious," may I say as- an aJmpcrid officer that King's Ragulatkm deny tie right of soldiers to pet nixed i# civilian political meeting*. Partlierßwei those soldier recruit* under King's lations had no right to march aa aa organised body without an officer, as the -number exceeded 20 men. They brought their uniform into disrepute by enftaging in a brawl with the police an 4 civilians, and (several of them were Tinder the influence of liqnor. Like myself, several returned soldiers who were in uniform Were disgusted at the whole exhibition. The only bright spot in the picture wa« the tact and patience displayed by the civil police. H. G. WIXTHROP-