MR FREETH & CONSCRIPTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8362, 24 February 1913, Page 11

MR FREETH & CONSCRIPTION

To the,Editor “N.Z. Times.” Sir, —In- describing those who dare to oppose conscription, Mr Freeth has repeatedly drawn from his voluminous vocabulary of vituperation such select epithets as “shirker,” “dastard, “skulker,” etc. Yet he how appeals to me to refrain from abuse. Fortunately I appreciate to tho full Mr Freeth’s simulated ferocity, and, after reading his letter of yesterday, am finding that the greater part thereof is in complete agreement with my criticism. I really wonder whether he is not really a potential co-ox>erator with me. Mr Freeth assures us that Colonel Davies is a brave man. Well, I never said anything reflecting on the gentleman’s courage—or want of courage. 1 am quite willing to accept Mr Freeth s assurance on the point. There are plenty of brave men, however, who don’t wear uniform of any kind, but it seldom seems to occur to anyone to give them a good word, presumably, as Horace says . carent quia vate sacro.’’ My letter contained two statements which Mr Freeth emphatically denies, first, that Colonel Davies is now in England at tho expense of the taxpayers of this country, and secondly, that, on his return from South Africa to this country he delivered public addresses in favour of conscription. As for the first, I admit the error, and accept the correction unreservedly. I adhere to the other, however, and would refer Mr Freeth to a speech delivered by Colonel Davies on Dominion Day, 1908, in course of which he denounced tho volunteer system root and branch and demanded compulsory military training. If Mr Freeth will turn up the “New Zealand Times” of October 'Bth, 1908, he will find that I published a letter therein pointing out that Mr Grattan Grey had been dismissed from the “Hansard” staff, and that Mr J. A. McCullough had been driven out of the Railway Department, both for expressing their views on public patters, and I inquired on what principle was the Inspector-General of the New Zealand Forces allowed to usurp the functions of Cabinet Ministers and members of Parliament. As a matter of fact, it is notorious that military officers, both before and since the adoption of conscription in this country, have made public speeches in support of it, and 1 repeat that, although they were ready enough to attack Messrs Grattan Grey and McCullough, not a single newspaper editor has seen fit to rebuke these gentlemen.— I am, etc., P. J. O’REGAN. February 22n<L