S.P.C.A.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 68, 22 March 1935, Page 6

S.P.C.A.

Sir, —May I ask for space in your paper to draw the attention of the public of Wanganui to the urgent need tor funds for the local branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The branch has been in existence for some 25 years, and during that time has done excellent work in the district. I feel that it would be a great loss to the community in general, should the branch have to close down through lack of funds to carry on—and therefore appeal to the public for their much-needed financial support. “We speak /for those who cannot speak for themselves.” C. N. STROUTS. President. Wanganui branch, S.P.C.A. THE CHILDREN’S GARDEN FRIEND Sir, —It is with regret that we learn that that great friend of the children better known as “Uncle Wai” has had to vacate his present place of abode and seek fresh pasture. Since the inception of the Children’s Gardening Circle “Uncle Wai’s” delight has been to grow and supply seeds for the numerous members of the circle, a pure labour of love on his part. Many homes have been brightened as the result of flowers grown from the seed supplied by “Uncle Wai” and I feel sure that the sympathy of*both parents and children goes out to him at having to leave his beautiful garden and trust he will still be able to continue the splendid help h e has given in fostering the love of flowers among the young folk.—l am, etc., “SYMPATHISER.” THE RETURNED MEN Sir, —In view of the very disturbing fact that the trend of legislation recently passed and at present before Parliament is to circumscribe and to seriously affect the freedom ot the individuals, for which, by the way, we returned soldiers were told we were fighting when we enlisted, and in view of the opinion freely expressed by responsible people that the present legislation concerning the National Mortgage Corporation is a distinct breach of faith with these returned men who were encouraged to commit themselves to financial obligations under the Returned Soldiers’ Settlement schemes, I wish to publicly challenge the Dominion Executive of the Returned Soldiers’ Association to state definitely through the Press what steps they have taken or may be taking to safeguard the interests of the returned men in this direction.

The returned men of this country have been grossly and callously betrayed by certain financial interests, not necessarily resident in New Zealaand, and I have yet to hear that the association has ever raised its voice in protest. These men have returned after serving overseas in the mod brutal war in history and have settled down in many cases to a life of entirely un: necessary poverty and hardship, with a better spirit than have returned men of any other time. It would now appear that their only reward for such sacrifice is to be sold body and soul, together with their wives and- growing families, to a life of servitude under the tender mercies of a semi-private corporation operatii.o- under a policy virtually dictated bv the same group who betrayed them in the past. The fact that this sell out is destined to take place cannot be excused by citing paltry instances of individual foolishness, for it must be remembered that it takes at least two to make a deal and if one is a fool the | other is often a rogue.—l am, etc., G. I. BILLINGHURST. I SITUATION IN GERMANY Sir, —I quite agree with your leading article dealing with the situation in Germany by reintroduction of conscription, especially the latter part suggesting a foreign war as an escape from domestic difficulties. That this is possible cannot be ignored. Your previous article on the same subject is more nearer the point. In it British statesmanship is portrayed being led •by France, and the answer to this is the fear of attack on England from the air. The position to-day is much the same as in 1914; the air forces of European Powers have taken the place of navies. As long as Germany had no navy or air force England loved to play the role of the peacemaker, but now the curtain is being run up and the bandages removed from the eyes of the British politician they find they have been led into the same street their blind following of France landed the Empire in 1914. Nobody will have any sympathy with the whr mongering classes of Germany who started the World War,‘but it must b remembered the common people of any nation have no say beyond obeying the laws of their country, and the German soldier was in the same boat as his opposites who were driven out to slaughter on the battlefields of Europe in 1914-18. The whole trouble to-day is the injustice of making an innocent people pay for the misdeeds of their rulers. The people who should be dealt with get away every time. Anybody who has gone to the bother of reading the Treaty of Versailles will admit that it is the most unjust document men have ever penned their names to. The ordinary common inhabitants of any nation only desire to be left in peace and the last thought is of killing their neighbour, but interest within that is opposed to its counterpart without appeals to these disinterested people and the sentiments they have for this native land, and makes them a party to a difference between two rival groups, and the difference becomes international, civil process is superceded by armed force, and the common people who are driven, if they are defeated, are all treated as guilty, the group on the victorious side doing the same thing to their victims who survive. So the soldier who comes not from those who cause a war finds himself again in the same boat in peacetime. The only difference as far as Germany is concerned is that the blockade undeimined the morale of the nation and made them more ready to imbibe the extremists.

After losing a million dead round Europe and hundreds of thousands of deaths above the normal death rate from the plague that followed the war, the British joined with France to punish the innocent as well as the guilty and now find an insignificant personality in the place of a dictator. Th j men who had experience and training all have disappeared from this earth as far as Germany is concerned,

and British policy is hardly free from blame for this tragedy. Conscription is the last refuge of the militarist, but nothing more surer that a nation is not militarist at heart. When the party in power has to drive its inhabitants to military service by compulsion it is proof that the people do not want war or preparation for it. One has only to look at New Zealand since the Government cancelled compulsory military training, and we are not the. only country in the world. The secret io the prevention of war is not a Disarmament Conference and political joy-rides—it’s a plebiscite of the people first. Introduce the ballot box and you soon see who causes war and all connected with it.—l am, etc., CITIZEN. FLOGGING Sir,—In a letter from the Howard League recently published in your paper an obvious mis-statement appeared and we are indebted to a correspondent for bringing it to our notice. In quoting a New Zealand example of the fa*ct that to flog a man does not prevent him from repeating the crime we stated, “Mr Justice Fair meeting again in Court with a man whom he had sentenced to the lash some years ago for robbery with violence had to convict him again for the same offence within three months of his release from prison.” Obviously Mr Justice Fair, whose appointment dates from June, 1934, should not have been cited as giving the original sentence which had been given by another member of the Judiciary. He did, however, comment on the fact that the prisoner had been flogged previously fon the same offence. We would stress again that flogging does not deter a man from repeating a crime. We would be glad if you would give publicity to this correction. N.Z. HOWARD LEAGUE FOR PENAL REFORM.