THE PEACE FOLK'S FROLICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1792, 3 July 1913, Page 6

THE PEACE FOLK'S FROLICS.

— ♦ — : "HUNGER-STRIKE" TRIED. (By Teleera ph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, July 2. It is stated- that lads in the military detention camp ait Ripa Island have declined to drill .and that several hav.o started hunger-striking.-Tho Peace Council has telegraphed to tho Minister for Defence:—"lnformed that boys on Ripa Island have bom put in close confinement for insubordination and on short rations. This punishment is illegal. The Act provides for a further period of detention only. By whose authority is;the Act over-ridden?" MORE DETENTION ORDERED. . Christchurch, July 2. At Lyttelton this morning, Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., went to Ripa Island and held an inquiry there in regard to the conduct of some youths who have been sentenced to military detention on the island on account of breaches of tho De- S fence Act. Edward Edwards, John Coppersmith, Henry Guthcadt, Thomas Nuttall, E. Hannan, J. It. Worrall, E. R. Williams, John M'Taggart, Robert M'Taggart, William George Noxton, James Nuttall, Walter James Hooper, and Harold William Shackwell were charged with, on Juno 30, at Fort Jervois, while under' military custody, refusing to obey the orders of Bombardier Modr to clean armament and to drill. Edwards pleaded guilty, and tho others not guilty. The magistrate said that the position was that all the defendants had refused to obey orders. It was very foolish and wrong on tchir part to fight the law of the land. Tlnoy should remember that they were not in prison, and that the authorities would have treated them well if they did a moderate amount of work. Up to the present tho officers' treatment of the defendants seemed to be quite satisfactory, and he urged them to obey orders and save further trouble. Each of tjie defendants (except Noxton) was sentenced to a further form of detention of seven days. ' In regard to Noxton, the magistrate 'decided to let tho caso stajid over for a fortnight.