CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1918, Page 4

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

TREATMENT OF MEN SENT HOM. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night, Replying to a question as to the treatment of conscientious objectors, tha Minister of Defence said: "There were fourteen men who were sent home, lfye all other troops are sent. This is the summary of the position with regard to these fourteen so-called conscientious objectors: Men alleging religious objection, 5; men alleging hardships or public interest, 5; men who did not appeal, at all, 4. In the case of one objector, whine case had been brought specially under Biy notice, the man did not appeal on' Account of conscientious or religious objections; he appealed on account of public interest and hardship, and his appeal was dismissed. The men who were sent Home absolutely refused to obw orders during the voyage, and on arrival in England they were dealt with exactly as other soldiers. The report I received from General Richardson was to the/effect that they did not belong to any religious sect which objects to bearing arms; they were not privileged to receive speeial consideration, and' they were medically fit and capable of undergoing training. The latest information is that all the conscientious 1 objectors sent to England, except two, have agreed to do duty, either in the infantry or as stretcher-bearers. In addition to the two conscientious objectors just mentioned, there were three others who had been treated like any other soldiers, and have had to be tried by court-martial in France on a charge of disobedience to orders. The court-martial found them guilty, and condemned them to five years' penal servitude. General Uodley, however, commuted the sentence to two years' hard labor. i