§ Mr. T. RICHARDSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether Private Thomas Allen, No. 25583, 10th Battalion, East London Regiment, and Peter Allen, No. 33050, 47th Training Reserve Battalion, conscientious objectors to military service, were arrested by the Irish constabulary in April last in county Mayo, taken to Castlebar gaol, handed over to the military, and afterwards brought before the magistrates at Nelson; whether they were subsequently given twenty-eight days' detention, sent to Gosport detention barracks and badly treated; whether they were afterwards court-martialled and sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour; whether they later appeared before the Central Tribunal and were deemed not genuine; and, if so, will he say on what grounds?
§ Mr. JOHNasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Emrys Hughes, of Abercynon, a conscientious objector to military service, was sentenced to two years' hard labour, afterwards commuted to nine months' detention, and later to 112 days; that he was subsequently court-martialled in Devizes, sentenced to twenty-one months' hard labour, which was commuted to three months, and that he was afterwards taken to Wormwood Scrubs and appeared before the Central Tribunal, who decided that he was not a genuine conscientious objector; and whether it can be stated on what grounds such a decision was arrived at?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThe President of the Local Government Board is informed that these cases were considered by the Central Tribunal and that, on their report, the men were not offered work under the Home Office Committee. The Central Tribunal determine each case on its merits.
§ Mr. ROWNTREEasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Liverpool Appeal Tribunal, when hearing the appeal of a conscientious objector named Edward J. 889W Roberts, refused to allow the person who appeared on his behalf to ask him either the fifteen questions drawn up for such cases by the Government or any other questions to prove the genuineness of his objection, and ordered him to take work in the Non-Combatant Corps, and refused his request to be allowed to appeal to the Central Tribunal; and whether, in view of the fact that this man has for seven years been a member of a religious community, one of whose tenets is opposition to all war, and is willing to undertake work of national importance, he will request the Liverpool Tribunal to rehear the case and to give Roberts and his representative a proper opportunity to state his case?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThe Local Government Board communicated some time ago with the Appeal Tribunal respecting this case. The tribunal stated that they arrived at a unanimous conclusion that the man's alleged conscientious objection was not well founded. The President of the Local Government Board does not see his way to intervene further in the case.
Mr. T. WILSONasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that F. W. Spiller, a telegraphist attached to the Central Telegraph Office, London, is a conscientious objector to military service at present serving a term of imprisonment; whether he is aware that his papers state that he is a Socialist and a dangerous man, and has aired his views in the office, and should therefore be handed over to the military to be dealt with; and whether it is in the national interest that steps will be taken to utilise this man's services upon the work in which he is proficient?
Mr. PIKE PEASEI am aware that Mr. Spiller failed to obtain exemption from military service on conscientious grounds, and that he is now in prison. I have no knowledge of the papers mentioned. The case will, I presume, be dealt with by the Home Office Committee later on, and I do not propose to intervene.