§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary what action he proposes to take upon the conduct of the Cefn Police Court magistrates, who have convicted two young men and fined them each £10 and one month's imprisonment with hard labour for distributing a leaflet containing a statement of fact in regard to the prosecution and imprisonment of conscientious objectors; and, in view of the fact that no evidence whatever was produced at the trial that an offence had been committed, and that the presiding magistrate was the military representative who had opposed the claims of these young men before the 686W local tribunal, will he order the immediate release of these young men and the remission of the whole sentence, and also inform the presiding magistrate that he is not entitled to use his position as a magistrate to prosecute men against whom he has a grudge as the military representative on the tribunal?
Mr. SAMUELI would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made in reply to the hon. Member for Windsor on Wednesday, the 3rd May, that I was advised "that it is illegal to advocate by means of speeches, posters, pamphlets, or otherwise, any resistance to the law or refusal to serve on the part of persons who have not been granted exemption." The leaflet referred to in the question appears to fall within these terms, and I regret that I am not able to advise any interference with the sentence of the Court.