Correspondence.

White Ribbon, Volume 23, Issue 272, 18 February 1918, Page 7

Correspondence.

(The Kditor is not responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents.)

(To the Kditor.) Madam, —A troopship Y.M.C.A. Secretary writes that the men are so fond of chess that the limited number of sets on board were 111 constant use. There is a distinct shortage of chess sets, and we find it imoossible to obtain any in the shops, so that we are unable to meet the demand by the soldiers. We will be glad, therefore, if you will place the matter before your readers, many of whom doubtless have sets which are not greatly used, if at all. If anyone who can spare a set of chess-men, with or without board, will kindly send it to the Y.M.C.A. National Headquarters, Baker’s Buildings, Featherston Street, Wellington, it will be put on a troopship to help relieve the monotone of the long sea voyage.

Thanking you, and vour readers, in anticipation.— Yours faithfully, E. C. BROWNELL. General National Sec., Y.M.C.A.

(To the Kditor.) Dear Madam, The following resolution was passed at the last meeting of the Canterbury Women's Institute: “The C.W.I. is amazed to learn from the daily papers that the Minister of Defence confesses himself unable to ascertain the whereabouts of the fourteen cons< lentious objectors who were picked out from a number of exactly similar objectors and deported from New Zealand last year.” It views with intensest anxiety and indignation the admission of Sir lames Allen that he has so completely surrendered hi- res|>onsibilities in regard to New Zealand born subjects. Letters from England show that, at the time of writing, men deported as consc’entious obp-ctors from New Zealand were in irons at Sling Camp, ard that they had been subjected to innumerable persecutions, including the horrors of the “hull ring”; that eight of them had been sent over to France, where there was grave danger of them being shot “for refusing to obey orders in the presence of the enemy.” The C.W.I. would urge on the electors of New Zealand the necessity of making strong protest against such delegation of responsibility on the part of the New Zealand Government. If it he considered by the people of New Zealand that the military authorities should exercise the | ower given them by the Army Act, to shoot conscientious objectors to military service, the sentence should he carried out publicly here in New Zealand, and not in an underhand manner, for which the New Zealand Government

does not dare to assume responst bilky I am. yours faithful!), SARAH SAUNDERS PAGE, Hon. Sec. C.W.I 50, May’s Road, Christchurch, Jan. 23rd, ic) 18.