POLICE AND " PLOTS"

NZ Truth, Issue 538, 9 October 1915, Page 3

POLICE AND " PLOTS "

Are the Proletariat Plugs Preparing ?

Bob Semple the Centre of Suspicion

How the Gag is Applied m Parliament

On Tuesday last a return prepared on the motion of the Hon. A. M. Myers was brought down m the House which showed that 2408 Public Servants,;consisting of 1420 railway men and 9SS men from other State departments under the Public Service Commissioners, had volunteered and had been accepted for active service. The readingof the return caused great enthusiasm to? burst "forth m the House and members vied with each other m delivering glowing tributes to the loyalty and self-devotion of the Civil Servants. It appeared that 33.36 per cent, of, the unmarried men of military age had volunteered from the departments controlled by the Public Service Commissioners, while 43.54 per cent, had volunteered from the Railway Department. "If other classes of the community," said Mr. Massey, "would do as well, there would be no difficulty about finding all the men required for the service of the Empire." The Hon. Russell went onto say that the police were debarred from volunteering, although it was admitted that some - policemen HAD RESIGNED THEIR BATONS m order to go on active service. This several members; thought was a cruel hardship to inflict upon the John Hops, and said so. About half the police of military age were single men and as they were strong,* active, and had undergone a certain amount of training they ought to make .ideal soldiers, and a strong plea was put up for their being granted permission to volunteer. The effect of this well supported appeal brought the Neroio Herdman to his feet. This ; autocratic individual is still m control of New Zealand's Police, although the law of the land distinctly and emphatically places that body under the jurisdiction of the Minister for Justice — at the present time Hon. Robert McNab. "It would not be wise to give the police liberty to enlist. He would not undertake to be responsible for the safety of the country if carte blanche were given m the way" suggested," declared Mr. Herdman. The hint of concern m the words of the Attorney -Qeneral, and divining its cause, brought the member for Grey to hi<s. feet. Apparently Mr. Webb had lain, m wait for the opportunity to get something off his chest. So far this had' been denied him, and. thougft the one now offering wasn't altogether clear, he nevertheless determined to seize it and make a spoon or spoil a horn. Mr. Webb said that for once .he found himself m agreement with KfrT Herdman. He, also, thought i» wmiM De inadvisable for the police force of this country to be depleted at the present time, for had they nojfrtreeeived instructions to pay special attention to labor union meetings throughout the country. He was not going to make <& charge against the Minister m Question, but he would ask him did' he think it was fair to the workers of this country, whose, sons and brothers were shedding their blood at the Dardanelles to send out such an instruction as the following to each Police Superintendent m the Dominion. So saying the persistent Pat began to read the circular referred to, and did finally succeed m. reading it, besides adding some" strong comments anent the same, despite EFFORTS TO APPLY THE GAG. When the member for Grey began to read, "Truth's" rep. noticed the Hon. Herdman cross over the floor and speak to the Speaker. On the member for Wellington North returning to his seat, the Speaker proceeded to pull up the member for Grey. But he persisted and bit by bit got through the precious Police epistle, which reads as follows: Commissioner of Police, Wellington. Confidential. Please cause careful and confidential inquiries to be made m. your district, as to the probability of any labor troubles arising therein at an early date. It is known that Semple and other Federation agitators have been reorganising the labor malcontents for some time past and it is believed that he and others associated with him are watching and waiting for an opportunity to cause further trouble. Every effort should be made to find out what is going on about the wharf laborers' and seamens' unions, and other labor unions m and around the cities. It should also be ascertained through the country constables whether there is some movement among those employed on dairy and farming work. "Is the .sentiment contained therein," commented Mr. Webb, "such as should be expressed ut the present time? Some of the men. referred to, with those of their class, have volunteered m greater numbers than any other section of the community. It is a dispicable thing to set the police to spy Into the union meetings as if they were traitors or worse. I claim falrplay to the thousands of unionists who have gone to the front, and to their comrades still with us, many of whom will yet go." Time after time the Speaker pulled up the glib ''grafter" from Grey, but the Labor member kept at it, and his speech pieced together was as Is given above. And now what of the precious police epistle Itself? It casts unfounded aspersions upon a specific class In the community, and that at the most critical period of the nations history, when the very existence of the Empire hangs upon the loyalty, devotion and self-sacrifice of the very class pilloried and maligned by its political opponents and THEIR POUCR PIMPS. But the letter read by Mr. Webb m the Haouse on Tuesday last is not the only letter sent out to the "heads" of the "John Hops" during the past few weeks. Rumor has It that at least one other of even a more flagrant, flagitious and foul fabrication followed fast upon the heels of the foregoing. It is Btated that the document m -question contains a long rambling statement which is to the effect that responsible- representatives of 'Labor Unions throughout tho Dominion; have been buying large quantities of firearms and ammunition during th« past few week?, it Is understood. al«o. that the communication urges upon the "Johns" to get Into touch with, the Tnions, secretly of course, and. get to know who purchased lht«* yoo<l«, and where they now are stored. Surely, this Is touching bottom In underground tactics such as EVEN A POLICE DEPARTMENT might well lU'Sllntt! to folluw. WV know that Britain has Russia us one of her allloH m th«> great world war now raging, but has It been? left to the al-!i-if«";diy must democratic of Britain's colonies to udopt Russian police meihi mis towards Us legalised Trades

TntonH? - * ••I don't know what 1 am ever ifolng to do with that boy of mine. He la careless and absolutely reckless of consequences, and doesn't worn to care for any one." "Good! You con make v tuxi-cub drlv«r out of him."