DEMAND FOE EXEMPTION

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 5

DEMAND FOE EXEMPTION

CASE OF MR WEBB, M.P. ' MINISTERS STAND FIRM. (Fbom Oijb Own Cokbzspondent ) WELLINGTON, February 19. The truth .about the demand of the coal miners on the West Coast for the exemption from military service of Mr Webb, M.P., is told in the following telegrams from the secretary of 'the Miners' Union, Blaokball, to Mr Massey (Prime Minister), Sir James Allen, and the Hon. Mr Macdonald :—" Blackball miners at stop-work meeting yesterday demand exemption of Webb; insist on our constitutional rights to choose our own representative for Parliament; will reeent any interference by immediate industrial revolt. —(Signed) Balderstone."

The Prime Minister replied as follows: — " Your telegram received. I hope that wiser counsels will than the course you suggest; Parliament decided by stafeu*} that, so tfar as compulsory service is concerned, there should be no discrimination between the parliamentary representative and those ho represents in a crisis such as this. Members of Parliament should show a good example to private citizens. There are many members of Parliament from this and other British countries in the fighting line today, and they glory in what they are doing, while their constituents 1 approve of and are proud of them. Westland has put up a good record during the war, and I trust nothing will be done to lessen the which your provincial district has so far deserved.' The question of exempting your representative has already been the tribunal provided by law, and its decision must be observed by Mr Webb just as by any other member of the community who has been drawn for military service." Sir James Allen's reply was:—"The Prime Minister and the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald (Minister of Mines) have replied t<3- your telegram of yesterday. The Prime Minister's reply was sent after the question had been considered in. Cabinet. It is difficult for mo to believe that Mr Webb approves of the telegram sent by you or of your action' in endeavouring to have him exempted. The Military Service Act provides that unmarried- fit men, whatever their station in life, unless exempted by the Military Service Boards, must do their duty in this time when their country needs them in its defence. The appeal on behalf of Mr Webb has been heard by an impartial tribunal and dismissed. Like all others in a similar position, Mr Webb must obey the law, and I am satisfied that willing acquiescence on the part of the Blackball miners will reflect honour on your representative and on yourselves." Mr - MacDonald replied in the following terms: —-"Received your wire in re exemption Webb. I regert to hear miners' demand. It would be well to remember that when • we demand constitutional rights we can only obtain these rights by abiding by the constitutional laws of the dominion. I would strongly urge, in the interest of democracy and* in the general interest of the workers, and especially the miners, that no action should be taken by them which will cause industrial trouble during the present Empire crisis. I shall be pleased to place your representations before the Cabinet for consideration; but, as I stated in my previous telegram, your member has the same tribunal to deal with his case as all other reservists in the country, and at that tribunal Mr Webb will receive consideration and justice." Copy of telegram from the secretary of the Boa Miners' Union, Blackball, to Sir James Allen, Wellington, February 12: "Miners' Union demands rehearing of Webb before Appeal Board; failing, union will act.—(Signed) Smith." Reply. February 12:—"Your telegram in re Mr Webb, M.P.. received. I nave to point out that the Military Service Board is the only authority that has power to grant exemption from military service. It is the tribunal provided by law, and its decision must be observed by Mr Webb just as by any other member of the community who has been called up for military service. The board has considered the application for a rehearing, and has refused it. I am unable, therefore, to interfere in this matter.—(Signed) J. Allen."

SPEECH BY MR WEBB. WELLINGTON, .February 20. Mr Webb referred to the matter in an open-air speech to-day. He deplored what he termed the effort of the Government to discredit Mr Holland's candidaturgj for Wellington North through the miners in his (Mr Webb's) electorate). He held that it was not the miners alone who were asking for his exemption from military service, but the big majority of the people in his electorate, including the farmers, business people, and workers generally. Three out of five farmers voted solidly for him, and his majority had increased. The boys who had returned from the front were asking for exemption for him, confident that he would look after their interests. So also were the mothers and fathers and relatives of those who were away at the front. He would bo willing to take a vote of the soldiers in camp now on the question and abide by the result. When ho had been called up he did not seek exemption of any kind—it was the people of his constituency, backed by the miners of New Zealand. Mr Webb went on to detail how he decided to resign his seat, and how 30,000 people had urged that lie be retained in the country as their representative in Parliament. In this connection he criticised the Government for its neglect of the Westland electorate, and said he had received many letters of complaint on this score from Mr ' Seddon's constituents. Reverting to the question of exemption, he spoke of the police, " and contrasted the exemption of men who enforced the law with tho nonexemption of men who helped to make the law. He wished clearly to indicate that £he reflection on the miners was unwarranted and untrue. Every time when in Parliament he had had to put up a fight against the National Government he had been

threatened with the rope of conscription, and he had vainly challenged ally member of the present Cabinet to resign his seat and contest the issue with him in Grey. Having paid a high tribute to the work of the miners under difficult and hazardous conditions, Mr Webb concluded by saying that it was. absolutely cruel' of the Government, so far as the miners were concerned, to endoavour to damage the candidature of Mr Holland for Wellington North.