VISITS TO RUSSIA

Grey River Argus, 4 October 1934, Page 6

VISITS TO RUSSIA

CASE OF M. RISKE Passport Delay (Per Press Assaciaftion.) WELLINGTON, October 3. ■Whether Alarcus Riske goes to Russia depends upon how Judge Reed construes the law in regard to an application by his divorced wife seek-' ing a maintenance order. Riske’s passport cannot be signed in the mean--1 ime. The facts set out are that the marriage was dissolved in December, 1931, on the husband’s petition, and thatJudge Ostler made an order for a lump payment of £7O to respondent. This was paid. 'The wife in the present action says that lack of financial resources had prevented her applying to the Court for permanent maintenance. She did not know she could approach the Court in forma pauperis. 'The present application had only been made possible by the assistance of the Nelson Charitable Aid Board. Riske, in his affidavit, said he withdrew the previous offer of 10s a week, and through his solicitors, made a last payment on August 4, 1933, when it was stated to be the final payment.

Misuse of Statute Alleged JUDGE OSTLER’S ORDER. CAN IT BE SET ASIDE.’ WELLINGTON, October 3. The hearing of' the Riske case was continued. “If [ were a. wild Irishman. I: would >ay that this is a dastardly attempt by the Government to prevent my client from going to Russia, but I am not,” said Air Tre.-idwell. who appeared for Riske. His Honor: “What has this to do with the Government?'’ Air Treadwell; “If you look at the affidavit- of the applicant you will find 'that the Nelson Charitable Aid Board has helped her to make her application. His Honor; “That is not the Government, it is-?’’ Mr Treadwell, continuing, submitted that, in order to establish her right to maintenancc. i*| was nei'Cssary to esl':iblis.h four things, v'iz: (I) delicate health; (2) inability to earn her living; (3) her entire absence of means; and (4) an absence of friends o r relatives to support the applicant. It did not matter 'to the Court whether 111 was a wiki Communist or a perfect- ]•• good Christain who was going to Russia..

Air AToynagh (who appeared for Airs Riske): “Tie is, as- a matter of fact, a perfectly good ’Tew.’’ Ai r Treadwell: ” lit all boils down to this: Tie (Riske) says that she wants an onportunity at any time, when sin* breaks down, to hold him here rill he puts up security for her. It is using the Statute for an improper purpose and 1 submit with respect. ’ ’ Air Alcynagh said that the Order of Air Justice Ostler was on record and it con'd not bo appealed from. Air AToynagh, in reply to a. suggestion l‘hat the re-ponflent ’s father was a man of means and owned a motor car, said that this motor car was not an evidence of ability *|o maintain his d a ugh 1 er. His Honor: “Nor evidence of his ability to pa v for benzine!” (Laughter). His Honor indicated that ho. would pub his decision In writing. ANOTHER CASE (To the Editor.) Sir, —Five weeks ago there appeared considerable correspondence, etc., on the question of the Wellington Educational Board’s refusal to grant me leave of absence in order to travel with the New Zealand Delegation to the Soviet Union. This correspondence aroused considerable interest and I am therefore sure that your readers will be interested to hear how the railwaymen delegate, George Lamont, of the Lower Hutt Workshops, has fared in his request for similar leave fof the same reason.

Might I be permitted first of all to point out that the accusation levelled at me by some anonymous contributors to the effect that I was travelling as a Communist and not as an educationalist, that I was not concerned with Soviet education so much as with some type of subversive political work on my return to this country, quite untrue as it is, cannot in any way be levelled at Air. Lamont. He has taken no part as I have, in trying to bring some sense to bear on public opinion in New Zealand regarding Soviet life and affairs. He is a quite unknown private employee of the Railway Board in whom a large number of railwaymen both at Lower Hutt and Otahuhu have shown sufficient confidence as a fair observer to elect and finance as a delegate to the U.S.S.R. Considerable sacrifice in time and money has been involved in raising the fare for him to go there. And now, sir, after a delav of over five weeks, the Railway Board, an alleged non-pplitical body, has seen fit to refuse leave to Mr. Lamont. With one month off 20 years’ service, Mr. Lamont is entitled to 12 months’ leave of absence should he desire to take it. Had he desired to travel to the Alelbourne Centenary, Peru or anywhere but the Soviet Union, I cannot but help thinking that his leave woul-.l have been granted instantly. As far as it is possible to ascertain information no railwayman with the requisite service has been refused leave of absence since the War! The implication is so clear that I need hardly stress the point. To prevent as far as possible any New Zealander from visiting the Soviet Union is obviously the aim of the New Zealand Government. Why is this so? Are we too insular to learn from abroad? Are we the perfection of government and society that we try

to victimise any worker who dares to want to settle the Soviet controversy by an actual visit to the Soviet Union itself? Are we above all afraid of comparisons between our 60,000 unemployed and a country which says it has no unemployed? In my case the Education Board and Air ATasters put forward the argument that I resign only my position and not my status as a teacher, and that I will have every chance of obtaining work on my return. Assuming theoretically at any rate, that this is so, the ease of Mr Lamont is different. With him, going without leave of absence means the end of his position as a railwayman and full victimisation as far as employment in the railways is concerned. Can this be tolerated in New Zealand? Is there still not a body of opinion which will raise this isuse to its right level and induce the Railwav Board to grant leave to Mr Lamont as they would to Smith, Jones or Robinson had they been travelling for pleasure or sport? It is surely not too much to ask vor. to give this letter due publicity and to ask also your assistance to obtain ordinary justice in this case, for a representative of a considerable body of workers, whose desire is friendly trade and other relations with the biggest single territory under one Government in the world and the latest major entrant into the League of Nations. —I am, etc., MAX RISKE, Secretary, Friends of the Soviet Union. Wellington, October 1,