RAND REVOLT LEADERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 295, 13 December 1922, Page 5

RAND REVOLT LEADERS.

APPEAL FOR CLEMENCY. •POLICY OP REPRISAL."' CAPETOWN", December 12. Agitation in Johannesburg against the death sentences passed on participants in the Rand revolt, who wer-j found guilty of murder, is growing. A meeting of associated trades unions decided to call a meeting of union executives, members of the House of Assembly, ministers of religion, and other public men, with a view to considering what steps should be taken to influence the policy of the Government in the direction of initiating prosecutions arising out of the revolt on something less than capital charges, and in cases of conviction for capital offences, more freqnent exercise of the prerogative of mercy.

A resolution was passed declaring that the sentences for alleged crimes during the strike were not justifiable, but were reprisals, and calling upon lovers of justice the world over to exercise all possible, pressure to stop the policy of reprisals. All trades unions were urged to agree to a one-day strike on a given date. A meeting at Benoni passed a resolution that a cablegram should be sent to the British Prime Minister to intercede for the condemned men. and that a deputation should be sent to General Smuts and the Governor-General. —A. and N.Z. NO INDIVIDUAL GUILT. FLEA FOR COMMUTATION. (Received 2 p.m.) CAPETOWN, December 12. Members of Parliament, the clergy, and others are joining in the plea for the commutation of the sentences in the Brakpan case on the ground that the judge expressly stated that the men were convicted in accordance with the law of collective responsibility. . There was no evidence to show that they individually committed the murders, although they took part in the armed movement which culminated in the murders.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)