WHEN?

NZ Truth, Issue 351, 16 March 1912, Page 6

WHEN?

A Smack at Smith, M.L.C. , It is most unfortunate for those who want our' youngsters trained to keep .'out the future Jap that championship of their cause at the Auckland Methody Conference fell to so disastrous a person as,'G. J. Smith, M.L.C. Smith is a field-marshal, or corporal, or something, m the Canterbury Territorial forces, and moved an amendment m favor of compulsory service, which was lost by one vote. Thje prominence of Smith gave hysterical anti-militarists an admiri able handle, which they are turning for all it is worth; indeed, if the har»- --' die were' attached to a churn op a j chaff cutter the Dominion's products ) for the current year would be materially increased. At a recent puDiic meeting m Christchurch Smith gave ! particular offence to one I-lannam, (father of a youth gaoled for refusing ;to take the oath. -Hannam didn't set? why his boy should lose a vote and all 'the rights of citizenship, when a per- '■ son like Smith, who, as a partner m Bowron Bros., was convicted oil furnishing false income-tax returns whereby the counti'y was deprived cf some thousands of pounds, had a vote and was even a member of the Chamber of Horrors.' The remarks were ! received with wild and enthusiastic • applause, whilst the parsons and wowser friends of Smith on the Rotunda lowered their eyes with a pained ex.pression. Smith's presence in' the second chamber didn't do the Govern.ment any good during- the late elections, and the . downfall of wowserLiberal candidates m every part ct the Dominion speaks for itself. By the ■way, when IS Smith going to resign from the Legislative Council? 1