MILITARY DEFAULTERS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16885, 13 July 1920, Page 4

MILITARY DEFAULTERS.

GENERAL AND CONSCIENTIOUS

OBJECTORS.

Tho remarks ma do at the end of last! week by Sir Andrew 'Russell m regard to conscientious objectors, were referred, to at the quarterly meeting, of the Returned Soldiers' Association last night by Mr J. Kruse, who moved: "That this meeting of returned soldiers views with alarm the advocacy of a. prominent General Urging tho release of all conscientious objectors, and desires to inform the public of its dissociation from any such sympathy,.and, furthermore, that it strongly urges that all conscientious objectors, shall be kept imprisoned until tae completion of their full sentence of imprisonment. ' Mr Kruse said that such a statement coining from a General of tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force, was apt to convey the impression that the feeling of-the General was also that ■ of. the men who served under him, but such was not the case. Mr W. E. Leadley said he understood that all the genuine conscientious objectors in New Zealand had* been released, and those who wero now serving in gaol were military defaulters, who should certainly be made to serve their full sentences, for the "genuine conscientious objector he had every respect- and admiration. Mr T. Richards urged that all genuine conscientious objectors should be released. He thought that tho General had referred to such genuine objectors, and not to military defaulters. There was not a German left in our gaols now, and certainly if there were any genuine objectors in the gaols they should bo released. Tho military defaulter, on the other hand, should be i made to serve his full sentence. ! A considerable discussion followed, in which the military defaulter was roundly condemned. " As an amendment, Mr T. T>rummond moved that the meeting should urge upon the Government that all military defaulters.should bo compelled to complete tho terms of imprisonment to which they had been sentenced. In reply, Mr Kruso said • that tho purpose of his motion was to inform the public that General Russell's reported views were not those of the returned soldiers. Eventually he altered his motion to read : ". . . and desires to inform tho public of its dissociation from any such sympathy where the socalled conscientious objectors are really military defaulters, and, furthermore, that it strongly urges that all military defaulters shall be kept imprisoned," etc. The amendment was lost, and the motion carried.