CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16258, 8 July 1918, Page 8

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

QUESTION OF THEIR TREATMENT.

Tjo treatment of conscientious objectors to military service, and, incidentally, the enquiry that is to be made on the subject of the way in whieli some of them nro said to hare been treated at the Wanganui detention barracks, formed the chief subject of an interview between representatives of the United Federation of Labour and the Acting-Prime Minister (Sir James Allen), the Hon. W. H. Hcrries, and the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, at Wellington on Saturday (says the "Post")* The Hon. J. T. Paul said the conference desired +bat the enquiry at Wanganui should bo open, so that, in the interests of public, the matter should bo cleared up satisfactorily, one wav or the other.

Mr T. Bloodworth, president of the Federation, said the recent conference of the Federation, was quite unanimous on the subject of tho Wanganui enquiry that conscientious objectors should be allowed to t'.nploy counsel. _ They thought that would be desirable, in the interests not only of the objectors, but of thoso charged with ill-treating them, and for the satisfaction of the country generally. Mr H. Hunter said the conference was also unanimous on tho subject of the fourteen conscientious objcctors who had been deported. The conference decided to urge on the Government to consider the question of returning those men to New Zealand.