GRIERSON IS GOING!

NZ Truth, Issue 568, 6 May 1916, Page 3

GRIERSON IS GOING!

MINISTER ALIEN HOPES THAT HE WILL GO THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE LADIES Was the Right Hon. Gent. Rude, Rugged, or Rattled ?

The Minister of Defence, the Hon. James Allen "hopes" that Lieutenant Alexander Hugh Grierson will leave these shores as an officer of the 12th Retnf orcements, though "Truth" ought to announce that the officer m question has' not yet made his departure. ._ln. the circumstances of this ministerial statement it must be concluded that the last word, so far as the Government is concerned, has been said on the subject of Grierson, and that fortified by the RATHER "YES-NO" REPORT of Royal Commissioner A. D. Thomson, the Government, or at anyrate the Minister of Defence, is taking the responsibility of permitting the young man to go forth to fight for King and Country, though we must not lose sight of the fact, as sworn to by ■Grierson himself at the Inquiry, that m his well-tutored mind, he looks on the King as an ; Unless further circumstances arise, Truth" proposes to have its last say on the Grierson question, though there is not the least room for doubt that something will be said on the matter when Parliament is m session, and perhaps then we might learn that the Government set up the Royal Commission because its' hands were forced by orders from the Imperial Government, which was moved to act by reason of the action taken by the Women's Anti-German league. It is very "well known that the two most prominent ladies of the AntiGerman League, Madame Ida Boaufve, the wife of a highly-placed French pub!l6 servant, and Miss Beatrice Day (who m private life Is Mrs. Beatrice Wall, and who has been honored for tendered during the Boer war, and who, if "Truth" is not mistaken is

similar to Madame Boeufvo inasmuch as she has a son lighting for the cause of King and Country), HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY ACTIVE outside Wellington, and by special invitation have delivered addresses to the citizens of -Hastings, Napier and Palmerston North, not alone confining themselves to the issue of the Grierson case, but appealing to the eligible males to come forward and take up arms, work by the way, the two ladies should bo highly commended for and thanked by the Government. Women m New Zealand have nobly risen to the occasion, but the fair ' though by no means frail sex, are not Inclined to set out on holding recruiting rallies, and as the two ladies mentioned have proved eloquent and capable recruiting agents, "Truth" at any rate, wants to place on record its appreciation of ' their services, and to cause others to appreciate the services they have rendered. It is necessary to say this, be--1 cause we find that attempts have been made to discredit the two valiant and patriotic women, but at the same time it Is just as well for those who have acted very ungentlemanly and perhaps i unwomanly to the two ladies, that • they should learn that at Hastings, Napier and Palroeraton N., the meet- ! ings which they addressed were of a • highly enthusiastic character, and THEIR ACTIONS IN THE I GRIERSON CASE were indorsed. Indeed, so successful was the first meeting at Hustings, a stronghold of the Massey Government, that the ladies were invited to return and repeat their addresses. This they did. aud tho enthusiasm which S prevailed was as warm and as genu- ! me as that shown on the first occaI alon. Now, it Is a very remarkable 1 thing to find that when the ladies got to Palmerston N., and the subject of I the meeting . was discussed, it won i plainly hinted to them that they should j cut Grleraon out of it. but Madame I Boeufve, who has resented the mis--1 representation to which she has boon 1 subjected, strongly protested, and taking the bull by the horns at tho meeting, put it to the audience whether or

not she should give her version of the Grierson case, and the audience unanimously decided that the ladies should be heard, and heard they were. Now, what "Truth" wants to know is what was the reason which actuated the suggestion that the ladies should not touch on Grierson? Surely, the fact ■ that this man was the subject of a Royal Commission from which, we hold, he did not emerge altogether satisfactorily, was a fit subject for public discussion. The attempt to burk discussion at Palmerston North on the matter failed. However, fresh from a very triumphant tour of the Hawke's Bay and Palmeraton^. districts, the ladies, or the Leaugers, because the pair are prominent members of the AntiGerman league, learned that the Officer was about to depart from the country, and a move was made to have another word said on the thorny subject Sir Joseph Ward was approached by a deputation, and - WITH HIS USUAL URBANITY, Sir Joseph heard all that was said, was sympathetic, tactful« s aud promised to go further into the matter. Then, the ladles rounded up their forces, and at a late hour on, Thursday evening of last week, descended on the Prime Minister at the Ministerial residence m Tinakorl-roadi "Big Bill" was bluff, hale and hearty with the ladles for a time, but apparently as the members of the deputation got off their minds some forceful opinions, the RIGHT HON. GENT. BECAME ■ IMPATIENT. and "Truth" Is informed was vary rude, that is to say brusque, going so far as to invite several of the dames to "hold their tongues." Now, as a married man let alone a man of the world, "Big Bill" must now realise that it was "a miss m baulk* or "an error m tactics," and ought not to have been said, providing, of course, that he did say it. Perhaps if he did say it he was goaded into it, •Truth" ■ does not know. However, the constant interruptions of the, ladies, their.more or less pertinent or perhaps their impertinent interjections, seemed to have got the "goat'V of "Billiam," arid the atmosphere was, almost electrical. Now this is Just where "Bill" blundered. Old Sir Henry Parkes, m New South Wales, used to welcome Interjections, friendly or hostile. If friendly, so much the better for the interjector; if hostile, then it was a case of "Cod help"" the fool who "butted" m. Consequently, If "Big Bill"* blustered and flustered when the ladles tantalised him," "Truth" is sorely afraid that our Prime Minister has much to learn as a politician. However, Bill's bluster, and bounce, which the ladies regarded as rudeness; threatened to develop 'into something serious, because "Truth" gathers that one very patriotic : lady, who had a stick m her . hand, whirled it about shillaleagh fashion, and a few were, afraid that the Prime Minister of this loyal and devo.ted country was about to get it ■ , * ON THE TOP OF HIS "NUT." Fortunately, nothing so disastrous, nothing so shameful or unladylike, happened, but all were pleased when the thick stick was lowered. As a result of the deputation, it was gathered that the case against Grierson had not been furthered by the ladies, and , m the course of a few days, a letter was received, addressed to Mrs. Harry JJowry, a vice-president o£ the league, In which the Minister . of Defence expressed the hope that Lieutenant Grierson would bo leaving with the twelfths. Incidentally, an invitation was extended to this particular lady to meet the Minister to discuss Grierson, and presumably to have a little chat about the Anti-German League, the price of wool, Balboa, Desert Gold, and other little incidents which tend to make a SQUATTER'S LIFE WORTH WHILE. The attitude of tbo Minister of Defence has caused some concern, because it is held that the invitation of the Minister to meet one of the League's vlce-president'a has an ulterior motive behind iL However, there the matter ends. Presumably, Grlorsou is going U leuvo the country as an officer of the New Zealand army, and the Dofenco authorities are sustaining themselves with the Royal Commissioner's report. "Truth" leaves it at that, realising, of course, that something will bo sold m Parliament on the very unpleasaut nuiuer. ~