CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS,

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16154, 7 March 1918, Page 9

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS,

TO TUX EDITOR OF "THE x BESS."

.Sir. —There aro iiuini.st ali .able signs ! that there i;- a systematic agitation i floating around, got up ktf: tho pur-IKj.-c of gaining public sympathy on behalf of a few misguided foolij who were '•re_cn,t.ly compel led !o leaviethe Dominion. Unfortunately theri; if. lar too much ci thus spurious cr»in iu circulation; more than wo. are jyrr*parccb to adjiiii. At the Wellington -North election last week there 'were voters who supported Holi ind. . v .oti ■one o.V them would raise a : hand in defence of the Empire. I no tieed a letter in your issue of Friday last from a C!. R. Butler. It is evident that he is sadly perturbed over the Nhit-ional l.~ov-c-rnruent neglecting its duty in this matter. T am "afraid there isf no possible hope that the Government will attempt to legislate on behalf of shirkers, in order that they might have a favourable opportunity of escaping titieir military responsibility. The people of Xetv Ze aland placed ■fjie National Government in power for a far nobler purpose. are expected to find the. means o!r assisting the. Imperial Government to canv on the war to a successful issue.

• The favourable compari son your correspondent draws bciy.crjn the English system of administering the Ant and New Zealand will offer very poor consolation. A man who appeals on his own behalf for exemption before a 1 lilitarv Tribunal in England by claimii lg to be a conscientious objector, gets no consideration whatever: before "the Court has finished with him, he ij; feeling faint, and is longing for a fai -ourable opportunity to get out into tfcie fresh air. A sincere conscientious ol ijector, as :i rule, gets favourable c onsideration in these Military Courts, especially when they are supported by re liable witnesses. These men are invai iaJ >ly prepared to do any work that is offo red them that is of a non-combatant nal; me.

Contrast the nsefiilm >ss of theso men with our own martyrs, who will do nothing. They were o' ven too lazv to wash themselves on bo:i rd the troopship, a performance which liad to be carried out by our soldiers. believe tho old system of keelhauling would have answered the purpose fa; - better. At any rate it would have had a salutary effect. —Yours, etc., "V 7. J. MILLER. Fendalton.