THE IMPRISONED SEDITIONERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1917, Page 7

THE IMPRISONED SEDITIONERS.

DEPUTATION TO URGE. MINISTERIAL REPLIES. Wellington, July 6. A deputation representing the Laibor Congress waited upon the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward this afternoon to ask for ttye release of the men at present serving sentences of imprisonment for seditious utterances. The deputation was introduced 'by Mr. A.. Walker, M/P. Mr. E. Howard said the deputation did not iwish to go into the merits or demerits of any matters connected with the war, 'but wished to state simply that they considered their comrades had been unjustly imprisoned and should foe released. Men who had taken part in an armed rebellion in Ireland had been released. The men in gaol were not bad men, their offences ibeing purely technical ,and they ought to be released. Farmers in conference had 1 decided on a. "go-slow" policy, and they refused to grow wheat except at a certain •price, and none of them had gone to prison, but when the workers refused to dig coa-l except at a. certain price they were called seditious Messrs. Wesley, Richards and E. Hunter supported the claims of the deputation and aiigued that really seditious memibers of the community were those who put up the price of the necessaries of life. Mr. Massey said tie speakers suggested that the inen in gaol had (been selected for punishment because they were workers, tout that was not the case. If the richest man in New Zealand had been convicted of sedition 'ha (would have been punished. He was quite willing to admit that some who deserved punishment had escaped, (but the. fa*Sb to remember was that, under present conditions, i Government could not possibly allow any person to stand in the way of recruiting. The request of the deputation would receive consideration by the Cabinet, and if the Calbinet felt inclined to proceed with the matter the judges of the Supreme Court would have to be consulted, and then recommendations would !be made to the GovernorGeneral.

Asked if lie would recotamend it, Mr. Massey replied: "I cannot tell you that. I cannot commit the Government." Mr. Howard said the imprisoned men advocated the repeal of the 'Military Service Act, hut they had not attempted to interfere with any citizen' enlisting as ft matter of duty. Sir Joseph Ward said that in time of war men were required to bury many personal aims and ambitions. He continued: "We recognise the tremendous difficulties and hardships that are toeing endured by our armies. The majority of our soldiers are working men, and there is. urgent need to see that our soldiers are not left to suffer without any men coming along to lend them a hand. There cannot be any graver action than to pre-' vent or check the necessary floW of men to the war zone. There can be nothing worse than the prospect of our armies not receiving the full supply of men necessary to ensure that the war ends as quickly as possible." The Government had a heavy burden of duty in war time. Thii deputation thanked the Ministers.