§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will inquire 944W why the commanding officer of the 30th Training Reserve Battalion, Dover, Colonel Suliva[...], refused permission to Mr. S. G. Taylor, who requested to be allowed to visit W. E. Hancock, a conscientious objector waiting court-martial. in order to assist in the preparation of his defence, which he was entitled to do under Rule 13 in "Rules of Procedure for Court-martial"?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI am not aware of this case, but if the facts are as stated and it appears from the proceedings of the court-martial that Private Hancock has been prejudiced in the preparation of his defence, the necessary steps will betaken to consider the quashing of the proceedings.
§ Mr. T. RICHARDSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state-the number of conscientious objectors serving their first. second, third, and fourth sentences in prison or detention barracks, respectively, and the length of sentence in each case and whether with or without hard labour?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI regret that statistics of this nature are not kept in the War Office, and the preparation of this information would involve an amount of clerical work which the War Office cannot undertake.
Mr. LLEWELYN WILLIAMSasked the Home Secretary whether W. II. Roberts, of Pwllheli, Carnarvon, a conscientious objector employed on work of national importance in Carmarthenshire, was arrested on 3rd January last for overstaying his leave for two or three days; whether he has been imprisoned without trial ever since and is now in Cardiff gaol; and by what authority this man has been deprived of his liberty?
§ Sir G. CAVEThis man was returned to prison on the recommendation of the Committee on the Employment of Conscientious Objectors on account of repeated and serious breaches of the conditions on which he was released, his overstaying his leave after giving his word of honour not to do so was only the last of the series. He is now undergoing the sentence of imprisonment passed on him by court-martial on 20th June last.
§ Sir W. BYLESasked whether one Garstang, of Ashton-on-Ribble. a conscientious objector to war, is now in 945W hospital at Wandsworth prison after being three weeks on hunger strike at Ipswich and forcibly fed 38 times; whether his health is suffering from this treatment; and why this conscientious objector is denied the protection of the Military Service Act?
§ Sir G. CAVEMy hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. This man applied to the Central Tribunal and was allowed work under civil control in lieu of military service. Having refused to take up this work in November last he had to go back to the Army and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for disobeying a lawful command. During the month of January he refused food and had to be forcibly fed, but he was discharged from hospital on 29th January upon his promising to behave normally, and his conduct has since been quite satisfactory.
§ Sir J. SPEARasked the Home Secretary if he is aware of the resentment felt by the residents of Princetown and neighbourhood at the demonstrations of some of the conscientious objectors recently placed there; if he will take steps to prohibit processions of these men carrying red flags, singing red-flag songs, and distributing unpatriotic literature, and so avoid irritation and endangering the public peace; and will he see that means are provided to secure that all conscientious objectors at Princetown perform a reasonable amount of work and consider the desirability of these men being in their quarters earlier than 9.30 p.m.?
§ Mr BRACEI have seen newspaper extracts and correspondence showing that the presence of these men at Princetown is resented by some of the inhabitants, but I have no evidence that any such processions as are suggested by the hon. Member have taken place. The Committee on the Employment of Conscientious Objectors have made a rule forbidding public propaganda of any kind, and this rule is strictly enforced. The only instance known to the Committee of the distribution of literature is that a pamphlet has been found which appears to have been thrown from the train at Yelverton, some miles from Princetown. Any man who does not perform a reasonable amount of work renders himself liable to be sent back to prison or, if his sentence is expired, to the Army. The question of the hour for returning to quarters will be considered.