THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
DISCUSSION AT LABOUR MEETING. Alexandra Hall was filled last night whon Mr. H. Holland spoke on "Tho Cabinet and'the Con-scientnous Objector/' Mr. Holland said tho New. Zealand Government's policy of sending conscientious objectors away on transports was in conflict with Ihe British Ciovernuie'nt's policy. The British had not shot conscientious objectors who had refused to fight after being taken to tho liout. \Vliiit was the uso of sondjng these objectors from New Zealand, for, if they acted up to what they had said ttey would do, they would givo their lives for Ihcli' principles. In America, conscientious objectors had marched tn gaol and given themselves up. Mrs. Valentine, who presided ovev tho mooting he was addressing, had had hov son stnt away without lie.r knowledge. A woman of Foxton had had three hoys in custody, and on coming to Wellington. lo seo them, learned that they had been sent away. Sho was only one of many mothers. Tho Defence Minislev had promised that ho would coraraunicato with the mothevs of fhoso boys, but ho hail not promised that he would discontinue the sending away. Tho meeting ought to call on the Labour Party in Parliament to raise, this question ' n l' ie House at the earliest moment, ami (.ho party ought to divide the House overit, and make every man there show wlioro- he stands. He did not think one trade union in New Zealand would endorse tho action of the Government, and ho doubted if many people in the country would endovse it. ' The. Labour Party should move to get the Government to bring back thoso boys, and .'should demand guarantees that, no boys would bo sent away again hecanso they were conscientious objectors. Tho whole of New Zealand might think, that these boys wore wrong, but. the point was that the hoys wero convinced they were right. TEo meeting expressed indignation nL the forcible deportation of conscientious ob'jeotors, and decided lo urge that Parliament, should order a Teturn of Hif, deported men, and. immediately rleprivo Cabinet of a power unwisely -given if, and to call on tho Labour Party to act in tho matter. The meeting also formed unreasonable and inhuman, tho sierel. taking of boys away without tl.eir n others having an opportunity of saying good-bye.
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 23 July 1917, Page 7
Word Count
382THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 23 July 1917, Page 7
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