ON DARTMOOR.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14859, 5 September 1918, Page 2

ON DARTMOOR.

fHE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

SETTLEMENT

On Dartmoor, 1400 feet above «eu level, there was before the war, as everyone knows, a great convict prison. It is now a "settlement" of conscientious objectors. The following extrac: from a letter received in. New Zealand (states the "Dominion") affords art in fceresting glimpse of the "settlement," which houses over 1000 "conchies,'' as they are called in England. Says the writer: —

"They cost the Government an immense amount, and many do hardly any work (some work well), as the;, .can't be watched all day—-there are not enough warders to look after that! They do farm work, and are reclaiming a lot of moorland, etc.,. and :there is other work, such as bootiv-aking, etc. They are quite free after 6 p.m., and go about all over the place, mostly hatless, with long hair—really, some are n sight. Many appear to be.'cranks' or fanatics, and the Government seenyi to have made a hash of the whole business from-Jhe beginning. There are a few real1 objectors—like: Quakers —but I am afraid most just took up the idea when conscription came in. Any way. the people here loathe them, as tlie^ lead,an easy life, and'are well fed, ai:d they feel to hate to see them going about [here; where their own hushan'cLs and sons lived, many of whom are now killed, wounded or prisoners."