CONCERNING MR TREGEAR.

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 2

CONCERNING MR TREGEAR.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In British communities it is always considered unfair to hit your adversary below the belt even when your opponents—let them be political or otherwise—meet you on equal terms. But it is much more reprehensible to strike in the prohibited region when the alleged enemy is gagged and unable to offer resistance of any kind. In other words, there is little credit in lucking a defenceless man. As is well known. Mr Edward Tregear is a public servant. He is the Secretary of the Labor Department, of winch the Hon. J. A. Millar is the Ministerial head. Reins a public servant, Mr Edward Tregear is barred from replying to the adverse comment you shower on him in your leading article of this evening. As one who knows him well, permit me to say that I think ytm have misjudged him," and ccrtainlv wrote things about his administrative capacity which are altogether contrary to fact. That he is a keen and brainy student ot social and industrial subjects is beyond doubt, and on these matters is perhaps" par excellence one of the finest exponents in the Dominion. Were he anything less than a capable man he would bc-'unlitted for the position he occupies, and it is his undoubted ability which brings down on his unprotected head the anathema of those who. while seemingly fair to labor, inwardly curse those laws which afford some little relief to the wealth-creators of the world. To those who take an interest in matters industrial it is well known that -Mr Tregcar is the essence of impartiality ti> both .sides, and the clamor for his removal is. 1 am afraid, prompted under misapprehensions. In this respect I write from experience. Although Mr Tresear may have offended the editorial amour propre in suggesting to the Blackball miners a basis on which to settle their dispute without the public sanction of the Minister, he has, at any rate, offered a possible solution of the difficulty. That it was not acted upon is no fault of his. But he made the effort, which is more than can be said of tho editorials which have appeared in most of tho papers concerning this troubk. But what if the Minister himself had suggested that which is attributed to Mr Tregear? I venture to' sov he would be applauded as a peacemaker, and tributes would have been (and justly so) made to his name! It largelv depends on the source of the suggestion. It appears to be a case of nothing good can come out of Nazareth. Wo have it on record, however, that the Hon. Mr Millar acted as the chairman of a conference recently held in Wellington which reconciled the differences—or some of them—between two contending parties, and I am free to admit that he"rendered most excellent service to the country and the seamen of the Dominion. Of course I know you will retort that the parties agreed to confer and mutuallv chose the Hon. Mr Millar as chairman. But wherein comes tho difference between Mr Tregear trying to arrange for a peaceful and honorable settlement in the miners' case, and the Hon. the Minister acting as the mediator in another dispute? Mr Tregear mav bo fair game for anyone to have a shot at, but it is not playing even the journalistic game fairly to pot-shot an able and courageous man who has no opportunity of drawing a line on those who would' kill him without trial.—l am, etc.. W. Bklchkb. ! April 15.