CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1920, Page 5

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.

PLEA EQR THEJR RELEASE. Ry Telegraph.— tteii Association.. Wellington, Last Night. A deputation claimwg to represent the whole of the industrial and political labor movement of New Zealand waited on the Pyme'Minister and the Minister of Justice to-day to urge the release of all conscientious objectors and military prisoners and the declaration of a gen* eral amnesty. Mr, Holjand. introduced the deputation, which included rebrel sentatives of the recent labor conference and Labor members of Parliament. 1$; was urged that the Government had vindicated its position, and now it was time to show- mercy. j Mr. Massey, replying, said that the re-' quest of the deputation for a general amnesty must be decided ,by Cabinet. Some little time ago Cabinet decided to remit six month!*' of the sentences which conscientious objectors were serving, and as a result of this remission S3 had been released, or were just about jdue to be released. Some other men [still in prison were there for criminal offences.

The question of the men being deprived of civil rights was a matter for Parliament. His own position was briefly this. We had passed through a series of national crises from the point of view of the Empire, and of ctvilisation, and had come through successfully. There were a number of men who failed in their duty and shirked their duty in the time of peril, and he could not help saying that if a man shirked his duty in the hour of peril that man could not expect to come back in time of peace and enjoy all its privileges.