CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Southland Times, Issue 25434, 5 August 1944, Page 3

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Sir, —I wish to question certain statements made by the R.S.A. concerning the petition praying for the release of inmates of detention camps, which appeared in your paper on Juiy 28. First, as a canvasser who was actively engaged on die petition for several weeks I protest against the insinuation that the signatories did not know what they were signing. On the contrary, people took a lively interest in the petition and its various clauses, and were fully aware of what they were signing by the time the interview was terminated. The R.S.A. appear to underestimate the intelligence of the average man and woman, who are reluctant to sign anything they feel they do not understand. Second, it is a well-known fact that cases of conscientious objection are difficult to judge fairly, especially when taking into consideration the fact that, until the case is heard, the magistrate knows little or nothing about the man whose conscience is to be judged. In Britain there are special courts set up to deal with these cases, presided over by men who have special psychological training. The fact that there is a greater degree of disparity between the number of appeals allowed in Britain and the number allowed here points to the fact that in New Zealand there appears to be a greater degree of difficulty in judging the “sincerity” of these men. Hence the statement that all cases of “genuinely” held conscientious objection had been allowed in New Zealand is altogether too sweeping, and merits close examination. Third, the majority of the inmates of the detention camps are willing and anxious to do useful work in the community. Some have volunteered to work as warders in asylums, others to work bn farms producing foodstuffs, etc. Last, I wish to point out that the petition asks that the conditions governing conscientious objectors in New Zealand be brought into line with the British regulations. As a patriotic body of men, surely the R.S.A. will not object to that? BRITISH JUSTICE.