25 YEARS AGO

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 64, 9 December 1936, Page 10

25 YEARS AGO

Mr. Semple’s Threat

(From '“The Dominion,” December 8, 1911.) After Sir Arthur Guinness had addressed the electors at Dunollie on Wednesday, a large number of questions were put to the candidate, amongst which was the following: "Are you in favour of imprisoning those who refuse to pay fines inflicted on them for not registering under the Defence Act?” The candidate stated that he believed the provisions of the Defence Act must be carried out and that the authorities should not make fish of one and fowl of another. This answer did not prove satisfactory to Mr. R. Semple, organiser of tlie New Zealand Federation of Labour, who declared that if the Government enforced payment of fines by imprisonment or by attachment of defendants’ wages, he would paralyse the industries and business of the whole of New Zealand. He (Mr. Semple) could command 15,000 workers who would see that no wages were earned.

A Dunedin Press Association telegram records the death of Mrs. James C. Smith, who arrived in Wellington by the ship Lady Nugent on March 17, 1841, and consequently was one of the oldest New Zealand pioneers. Deceased was a sister of the late Hon. John Martin, and mother of Mr. James Smith, of Greenfield, and Mr. John Smith, of Ardmore Station.