IS IT PIN-PRICKING?

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8481, 16 July 1913, Page 6

IS IT PIN-PRICKING?

The “ Mangaweka Settler ” is being indefatigably worried by the Labour Inspector from one of tho neighbouring towns. It has even been taken before the Stipendiary Magistrate and fined for a trivial breach of the Factories Act. Wherefore, the' editorial soul of the “ Settler ” is perturbed, and saddened, and refuses to be comforted. The “ Settler” discerns in this prosecution, and the considerable trouble taken to discover some basis for it, a determination on the part of somebody high in authority, or his servile satellites, to penalise the paper for its political opinions. But surely not? Have not Mr E. Newman, and Dr Newman, and other staunch apostles of “ Reform” assured us that nobody has been penalised for his political opinions since the party of purity and superior morality came into power? It certainly is a fact that some weeks ago the “ Mangaweka Settler ” published several instructive and convincing articles on the subject of the re-aggrega-tion of land in that district that caused Mr Massey great annoyance, and prompted him to have special inquiries made at Mangaweka and in its neighbourhood. The “ Settler ” now says that since that time the Labour Department has been concerning itself greatly about the paper’s business, that it sent the head inspector from Wanganui to Mangaweka, though it has a local inspector at the latter place, and that on several occasions the office has been invaded by the inspector, and, m the absence of the proprietor, all sorts of questions have been put to the employees in the endeavour to incriminate the boss. The sequel to all this official energy was a prosecution for failing to give a half-holiday to a runner-boy who had been in the employ only several weeks. We cannot say whether the “ Settler ” is warranted in connecting the prosecution with the political articles that were published several weeks ago. Such a method of reprisal is too mean and small to be credible. But if the suggestion is warranted, it certainly constitutes the limit in the flatter of petty persecution. However, wo prefer to believe that the Minister of Labour is happily unconscious of the whole proceeding.