IMPRISONED STRIKERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 41, 25 March 1914, Page 9

IMPRISONED STRIKERS.

PETITION FOR RELEASE. The Executive Committee of the United Federation of Labour has issued a circular letter to Labour organisations throughout the Dominion, notifying them that a petition praying for the release of those persons sentenced to imprisonment for participation in the Wellington, strike disturbances is now ready for signature. Copies of the petition have been sent to the various centres, and it is said that it is being largely signed. It is hoped that the petition will be forwarded to the Justice Department about the end of this month. The lettar is as follows: "As you are no doubt aware, there are at the present time a number of unionists undergoing terms of imprisonment because of alleged participation in ' riots,'' unlawful assemblages,' etc. The sentences inflicted upon those unionists are from two years downwards—inflicted, we may point out in passing, by our alleged radical Chief Justice, Sir Eobert Stout. Might we point out that these ' unlawful assemblages,' or '' riots,' would not have taken place if the ' specials' had not been unlawfully used to create the disturbance in the first r place. We believe that the sentences'inflicted are revengeful and cruel in their severity, and are not aimed so much at the 'crime' committed, as a desire on the part of the Government and judiciary to terrorise Labour in New Zealand. We ask you,"*therefore, to extend energy and enthusiasm in the obtaining of thousands upon thousands of signatures that sufficient pressure may be brought to bear upon the proper authorities and secure the release of clean-living men and good citizens, now herded with, and branded as, criminals in our gaols, whilst wives and little ones suffer without. We are enclosing herewith petition forms to be filled in and returned to the undersigned as soon as possible. On behalf of the TJ.F.L. Executive.—Tours for justice, " (Signed) P. H. HICKEY."