POLITICAL PRISONERS

Evening Star, Issue 21232, 13 October 1932, Page 8

POLITICAL PRISONERS

A LETTER »F PROTEST Mr R. Harrison, secretary of thai Otago and Southland General Labour* erers’ Union, has forwarded the follow* ing letter to the Hon. J. G. Cobbo,. Minister of Justice: — “ The members of the above union wish to convey a protest to you for your consideration, as Minister of Justice, against the provisions embodied in the law in regard to that now operating over political prisoners. Wo sincerely believe that there should be some distinction in the treatment be-' tween political prisoners and those of a more criminal nature. Already in some of the more progressive countries some distinction has been made in this direction, and the time is no doubt overripe when a move in this direction should be introduced in New Zealand.' “ Wo pray that our protest may effectively produce that which we so: much desire and that you will under-J take to give some consideration to the j question, with the object, if it should i be at all possible, of placing these poli-, tical prisoners in the same category that which is already provided for. those who are imprisoned for _ debt.' Thera can be very little doubt, in oiir, opinion, about the motive of these political prisoners. It is an effort, in their opinion, to shatter what they believe to be obsolete thoughts upon the present activities of our modem life. They, appear to have been over-zealous in their endeavour to propagate new ideas and no doubt they are prepared to serve some kind of self-sacrifice for that which they believe to be most essential for humanity’s welfare. “ While there is some possibility of their actions being in the right direction and the prison sentences being slightly in the wrong, such circumstances demand that punishment shall be tempered with an abundance oq mercy, and wo trust that this protest may tend to generate that spirit ofl generosity so essential for the general welfare and progress of the human race.”-