STRIKES AND GAOL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8363, 25 February 1913, Page 6

STRIKES AND GAOL

The squatters’ organ yesterday, apropos of nothing in particular, dragged into an article a far-fetched »and disparaging allusion to Sir Joseph AVard in these terms: Much injury was don© °J* r national society by Sir J Oaepn. \V ard s famous declaration at Kaitangata. that he would suspend the Law and close the gaols against strike re who , might bring imprisonment upon, themselves. Wo are at a loss to comprehend what “ national society ” is referred to as having been injured by this alleged sentiment of Sir Joseph’s. In all probability, the 'writer himself would be unable to say what he meant. However, it is evidently intended as a descriptive aid to an abusive assertion, and, as such, it may be allowed to pass. Wo are equally at a loss concerning the authority for the mysterious speech at ICaitangata. Certainly, wo have never heard of it before. But that is nothing. There are many things in the squatters’ organ, and especially these things villifying Sir Joseph Ward, that nobody on this earth ever heard of before. However, if Sir Joseph Ward <iid say he would close the gaols against the imprisonment' of the strikers, the fact stands gloriously to his honour and credit, and serves to show the workers what a staunch, humane, and honourable friend they had in Sir Joseph as opposed to the autocratic party of “ Holer m.” Evidently, the squatters’ organ and those behind it hold the opinion that the gaols are for strikers, and that these latter, in a word, are criminals. This is a view that the most hardened Tolies in other countries have never ventured to take. In blew Zealand, however, with the squatter party in power, the man who ventures to strike is evidently to be regarded as a ruffian perpetrating a criminal act. W© don’t know whether Sir Joseph Ward ever made the speech imputed to him, but if he drew a clear and marked distinction between strikers and criminals, and refused to allow the gaols to be used for the punishment of what is merely the exercise of an "established civil right, ha was simply expressing sentiments thoroughly consistent with the convictions of every Liberal. If, on the other hand, the squatters’ organ asks us to believe that Sir Joseph said he would suspend the law against a striker who committed a crime, we say emphatically that this is a reckless and thoroughly untruthful assertion.