MINISTERS INTERVIEWED,

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1794, 5 July 1913, Page 5

MINISTERS INTERVIEWED,

INQUIRY PROMISED. DEFENCE ACT TO BE UPHELD. Complaints about the conditions under which vonths aro oorifined in. miKtair detention' at Ripa Island and at Mount Cook baracks were advanced by n deputation of Unity Congress delegates which interviewed the Hon. W. I'. Massoy (Prime Minister) and tho Hon. James Allen (Minister for Defonco) Inst evening. Tho deputation numbered about 20 persons. It was accompanied by about 400 others, practically tho whole congress. Tho main body waited oil tho walk outside the vestibulo of Parliament Buildings while tho deputation wns made. Those present included tho Hon. .T. T. Paul, the lion. fi. Jones, Jlr. R. Sonmlc (Federation of Labour organiser), Mr. W. T. Mills,- and tho Hon. J. Rigg, who introduced the deputation, which complained strongly of alleged victimisation and generally canvassed tho whole position, putting 'forward the, resolution passed by tlio congress against eolitaiy confinement, an<\

asking for tho instant release of these boys. Tho deputation urged that ono section of tho community had been singled out by tho authorities, and complained of tho ireatmrnt meted out to tho boys.

In replying, the Prime Minister said that tho <loputat.ioiii.sts had put tho position from their point of view, and upon tho lvliolo they had put it very moderately indeed, lie would put the position from tho Government's point of view. A number of Ms had boon prosecuted for either failing to register or for not attending drill. They had been fined in the ordinary way, aiid had refused to pay the lines. The penalty for refusing to pay lines was military detention. Tlio lads were committed to lfipa Island. He wanted to remind them that as members of Parliament and a 9 Ministers, particularly as Ministers, he and his colleagues were not legislators only, but administrators. They had to administer the law as it sloud, but they did not want to administer it harshly. They did not believe in harsh treatment. Ho might say at onco that as far as theso boys wore concerned they wanted tii provide them with good food and plenty of warm olothing. Mr. M'Cullougli! Wo bad to send coals to one boy. , , Mr. Massey said that tho Minister for Defenco would institute a searching inquiry. If the statements made were correcc somebody would have to tako tho responsibility. The Government was utterly opposed to victimisation, and ifvictimisatlou did exist it would be put down with a very strong hand. "That," said the Prime Minister, "is my position. You can't expect mo to tell you that theso boys will be released straight oft. I will tell you what wo will do. Wo will arrange a Cabinet meeting to-morrow. Your representations will bo conveyed by us to Cabinet, and wo shall endeavour to do something to moot the position that lias arisen. This defenco legislation to some extent is in an experimental stage. It is tho duty of Parliament, to amend it so as to make it as perfeot as possible. Stand or Fall by the Act, "I want you to understand clearly and distinotly that tho spirit of the Defenco Act must bo maintained. Tho peoplo of this country are behind tho Government in the matter, and tho Government will stand or fall bv tho principlo of tho Defence Act." The Prime Minister continued that ho did not want. them to go away under any misapprehension. He was exceedingly sorry for what had happened. Under the Act a religious objector had power to appeal to a Magistrate, and could clect to do other service as a substitute for military training. Re could not understand what had happened in tho case of a boy who was said to havo stated in Court that ho was a religions objector. Tho Minister for Defenco and tho Government would institute the most searching inquiry into every statement that tho deputationists had made. "What about the Iwya in tho meantime ?" asked a deputationist, and mention was made of a boy named W. Bobson. confined to Ripa Island, who was. said to bo suffering! from hemorrhage. Tho Prime Minister said lio had tho assurance of the Defenco Minister that a doctor would bo communicated with right away, and told to attend to this laa. , „ ~ Mr. D. J. Sullivan i "Can we tell the peoplo outside, on your authority, that solitary confinement will cease?" Tho "Prime Minister said that he could not interfere with the administration of tho law in tho way suggested. Ho could only say that ho would; try to meet tho difficulty. Mr. Scmple: "The demani of %h© Congress is that theso boys shall be token off that island."

The Minister for Defence. The Hon. Jas. Allen said that ho wanted to administer tho Defence Act perfectly fairly to everybody and with firmness. Ho would aslc them to help him to Ret over tho difficulties. Ono of tho difficulties was tho conscientious objector. He was trying to get tho municipalities to assist him in tho matter of providing alternative 6ervico, and tho members of the deputation might assist liim to draft regulations governing alternative ;soi'vico, which would not be military servico at all. It might bo possiblo to put tho conscientious objector in tho samo position as tho religious objector. He knew that some of them objected to any servico, military or otherwise, and ho did not think this was reasonable. Everyonohad to obey tho law, and. military service was on, organisation of civilised society. As Minister administering tho Act, ho did not want to compel anybody who had conscientious objections to do military service. As to tho boys at Rip'i Island, mothers had been permitted to provido their sons with additional service. So far as he knew, tho boys wero provided with four blankets, a mattress, and a great-coat at night. In tho daytime thoy were permitted to wear their own clothes, dungarees supplied by tho Department, and their own overcoats., If they worked, their food was csactly' tho samo as that supplied to tho members of tho R.N.Z.A. It tho boys refused to work, their daily rations were: 7oz. of meat, 2oz. of soft vegetables, 1 2oz. of potatoes, 18oz. of bread, and li pints of tea. If these rations wero not sufficient, they could be increased. Neither the Minister nor tho Department wanted to starve these boys, or to let them go cold or hungry. Mr. Semple's Son. Mr. Semple said that this was happening. In reference to victimisation, ho would strike a personal noto. Ho had a boy who was not yet fourteen years of age. Tho Act provided that boys should bo registered at school, and that tho Defence Department should bo notified when children reached tho ago of fourteen. In his case tho Defence Department wroto to tho school, demanding tho ago o" his boy. Tho schoolmaster wrote back that lie declined to discriminate, and would notify tho Department in duo courso when the boy reached the age of fourteen. Subsequently an officer (Captain Turnbull) wroto to him (Mr. Semple) demanding tho ago of his son. Ho refused to give it. Two days later Captain Turnbull, accompanied by a policeman, visited his house, and, in a bullying fashion, demanded to bo told tho ago of tho boy. Tiiis was again refused, and subsequently, Mr. Semple staled, he was summoned, and given n month in gaol by a magistrate for refusing tho information. His friends paid his fine, and ho was released. Tho magistrate stated, Mr. Semple added, that there had undoubtedly been discrimination in his case. He had now taken up his residence in Wellington, and the authorities wore on his boy's track again. His boy had been picked out in this way from Amongst some huudreds.

The Minister said that lie would causo inquiries to bo made, and mentioned that tlio officer on tko West Coast lind boon changed. Announcing tho News. Tlio four 'hundred supporters of tho deputation had patiently waited for its reappearance outside. From tho stops of Parliament Buildings tho Hon. J. ltigg now briefly conveyed tho import of tho Minister's reply to tho representations made, and suggested that his account might bo amplified by other deputationists later on. At his suggestion tho delegates adjourned in ordorly fashion to tho street outside tho grounds. Hero pomo speeches were made, which were recoived with cheers.