MEMBER AND MINERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 86, 13 April 1917, Page 6

MEMBER AND MINERS.

FARTHER CORRESPONDENCE

The ■ following . further ' cprres--pohdence on the subject o£ the C'okr scpip^tioh Act has passed '.between the secretary of the Wakamarina Miners' Industrial Union of Workers (Mr A. Weekes) and 'Mr T. A. H. Field, ■M.P.:—

"Deep Creek, MaTlborough, "March 26th ? 1917. "In reply to yours of Bth mst., for which I tiiank you> I beg to state that I road tho communication before our Union «is in-duty bound. On behalf of our Union I crave your lea.ye to thankyou for a very hearty laugh. We were all of us intensely amused at the matter contained therein.

"Re yoiir reference to Mr "Webb and,the political principles of these men, our confidence in Mr Webb is still unshakon, and our political principles are certainly opposed to the present oppressive Government. "We consider, sir, if you were 'to give some time to study the aims and ob]ectifL.of the Independent World's Workers arid the disgraceful punishment meted out to intellectual and refined men, 15 years in one casp for,, expressing an opinion, you would be entitled to say that Australian judges had disgraced themselves for ever. "Whilst... we heartily sympathise with and would help any nation in distress, we would certainly prefer to hear and have explained the deportation of tho people of Ireland.'' "We are extremely sorry you did not answer our question as to why members of Parliament have, reelected themselves. Would you also inform, vs1 us'to why honest and honorable men are refused permission to leave this •■country? "In conclusion j sir, I would wish to draw your attention to the fact that workers all over the world want peace; they have no quarrel.'*

Mr Fieid replied as follows:— "Nelson, sth April, 1917. "Dtw Sir, —I am in receipt'of your letter of March 26th, and have much pleasure in replying to your quesr tions. There is, however, no occasion for you -'to be extremely..•.sorry'•'.-■■be^ cause I .did not answer your question las v to yvhy members ■of Parliament have reflected themselves?' ■•-„ Tho" reason I did not reply is because you did not ask this question in your letter. The majority of members appeared to think that an election would be an unnecessary expense and distraction at a time when all our energies should bo given towards helping to bring the war to an honorable nnd successful ond, and they thought iho elections should be postponed for v year- lam bound to admit that the majority of electors with whom I have come in contact appear to be much of the same opinion. For myself, however, I do not believe in postponing elections, and I voted against it. As regards your question "why honest and honorable men are refused permission to leave the country,' wo are fighting for our existence as "a nation, and some restrictions for the general good a-ro inevitable. "You say that 'workers all over the world want peace; they hsive no quarrel.' We all want peace But T do not believe that the workers all over the world—outside of Germany" —are co mean-spirited that they want peace at any price, and that they have no quarrel, no indignation at Germany's atrocities, bad faith, and military' aggression, and that they are willing to become, tho slaves of the Prussian military caste. Surely the lie is given to this by the brave men who have enlisted from your own union. Thore can be no lasting peace for the world until the Prussian military caste is destroyed, and those who are' not willing to help to defeat it should consider if they are not ranging themselves -amongst the enemies of liberty and the suporters of militarism.""