VICTIMISATION.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8362, 28 July 1920, Page 4

VICTIMISATION.

THE PRINCIPLE OF SPADGER’S LANE. WHEKE THE LABOR EXTREMISTS STAND. (Welfare League). After the recent attack upon Sir George Clifford’s rights as a citizen of this country, the Labor extremists should gjve up shouting about “victimisation” forever. The Reds’ definition, judging from their general attitude, is that any attempt to deny them all their own way is an act of ’*victimisation.” For them to boycott a person who wishes to travel, to upset an opponent’s meeting;, or to take away a person’s rights in any way they please, is not “victimisation,” but just an assertion of the dignity of Labor from their distorted point of view. Principles and they have nothing in common, unless it be the principle of a political and industrial hoodlum who is out with a sandbag to reform society for his own advantage. The Labor cause by itself is a clean movement. Can the same be said of the present junta of Reds, and the party appears to have adopted for its guidance the principle of Spadger’s Lane, as described by the author of “The Sentimental Bloke,” where the invariable rule was to throw things at any cove you didn’t like. The Reds in New Zealand started out by throwing mud; recently they have taken to throwing bricks. The Racing Conference declined to meet the Jockeys’ Association, which may be right or wrong. It is a matter to reason out. The Reds, however, call for the rule of Spadger’s Lane, which is “ if a bloke declines to meet you, smash ’is ’ed.” The Auckland tramway men threw a brick at the conference which struck their city. Auckland objected, and the tramway men apologised and withdrew. The firemen on the Mokoia threw another brick, designed no doubt to impress the Racing Conference with a sense of fairness. We shall not be surprised if that brick has struck the Jockeys’ Association. If aggrieved, throw a brick, is the common rule of Spadger’s Lane, and the Red industrials and politicals of New Zealand. It is not only a brutal but an insane rule. You can throw bricks, but you cannot tell for sure where they will land. This is the party that screams “victimisation.” They want to get on the Treasury benches, to rule the country', and no doubt to make it perfectly legal that all and sundry may adopt the slum rule of Spadger’s Lane and have liberty to throw bricks at everybody they disagree with. Should that day ever come New Zealand will be a fine country to live out of. The sooner the Government and people of New Zealand decide unitedly that brick-throwing as an industrial pastime must cease, the better chance will citizens have of travelling about in safety, and the more credit will we have as a civilised people. It is everybody’s business. Sir George Clifford may be hit to-day, but it may be you to-morrow. There is no safety for anyone in a community of brick-throwing savages.