STRIKE PRISONERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 166, 14 July 1914, Page 5

STRIKE PRISONERS.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE. I DBCLIXED BY .MR. HERDMAX. |-i EXTEXCE f '4X-XOT '*B E A LTER ED. j (By Telegraph.- Special tn ASiar.") WELLIM'TOX. this day. i lA iv-<(ues-1 for the release of the otrikc [prii-onei* was made to the Jlon. A. L. Herdm-an. Minister far .Justice, tiii* morning by a deputation from the federation of La-hour Conference. introdinvd by Mr. Rcber'aoii. M.P. Tlie speakers were Mesons. Moriartv and A. Rosser. 'Air. Moriaity t-aid the deputation had not come .to crawl or cringe, as. they knew th-e -Minister dopi.-eil crawlers and cringers. They desired to point out that tiie organisation they represented was not similar with th-e organisation in exi.-ic.n.-e during th,. strike. It was a ne-.v orga-iiis-ation altogether, and the strike was a thing of the pai=:. They I ooneidei-ed. the time liaii arrived when I Ms* strike prisoners should be releas?d. .since the law had -been vindi-caa-d. He reform! in th* remission of the sentence on a wool men-ban!, who had 1 -been guilty of exceptionally vile language. .From the vi-ew point of that preced-ent which had been established, they asked for I lie release of t'hv strike prisoners.. ■Mr. Rortbcr pointed out that although they hid been told the Covemm?nt could not interiore with the cr.urse of justice, otter Governments had remitted sentences on prisruiers. -He quoted the ii.fj.se of .I-wks Larkin in the Old Country, and Trro ..Mann in Australia. Mr. Herd lira n said it was true that sen.;er.,-«-i had been remitted in New Zealand. but only in ay.-eebl circumstanced, and nearly always on the recommendation of the judge who passed -sentence. A.* i-egards the strike pritTonfrs. he couid not hold out any hope at the -present time for -a remission -of the svnlrncos. Only a few months had elapsed since tlie sentences passed by the Chief Justice, am it would 'be a travesty of .;he administration of justice were the Government at this stage to make any remiceion in the sentence. The f;overn.ment could uot alter the decision of tiro Court. .Mr. M. A.m.bfc. M.P.. urged the Minister to forward the request direct to the Chief Justice in order to avoid the necessity for petitioning Parliament. .The Miirisi-er TeipJied that he could make no undertaking.