ON DARTMOOR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 294, 31 August 1918, Page 8

ON DARTMOOR

THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS' SETTLEMENT. On Dartmoor. 1400 feet above sea level, there was before the war. as everyone knows, a great convict prison. It is now a "settlement" of conscientious objectors. The following extract from a letter received in New Zealand affords an interesting glimpse of the "settlement," which houses over 1000 "conchies," as they are called in England. Says the writer:— "They cost the Government an immense amount, and many do hardly anv work (some work well), as they can't be watched all day—there are not enough warders to look after that! They do farm work and are reclaiming a lot of moorland, etc.. and there is other work, such as boot-making, etc. They are quite free after 6 p.m., and go about all over tho place, mostly hatless, with long hair—really, • some are n. sight—and the mop of hair is hardly decent. Many appear to be 'cranks' or fanatics, and the Government seems to have made a hash of the wholo business from the beginning. There are a. few real objectors—like Quakers —but I am afraid most just took up •the idea when conscription came in. Anywav, the people here loathe theni, as they lead an easy life and are well fed, a.nd they feel to hate to see them going' about here', where their own husbands and sons lived, many of whom are now; lulled, wounded, or prisoners."