MILITARISM IN NEW ZEALAND

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 191, 13 August 1919, Page 9

MILITARISM IN NEW ZEALAND

AUCKLAND PRESBYTEHT'S VIEWS. OF TERRITORIAL TRAINING. The much-discussed project of four months' compulsory training for territorials of IS years of age was given a further fillip at the meeting of the Auckland Presbytery last evening, when after a comprehensive discussion a resolution was carried expressing strong disapproval of the suggestion of the Minister of Defence. The ball was set rolling when tho Rev. J. \V. Shaw moved the adoption of the following resolution, which had boon drawn up by a special committee, subsequent to a communication from the Christchurch Council ot Churches:—"The Presbytery, while believing that every able-bodied man should be ready to defend his country, has strong moral objections to militarism and the formation of a military caste, and believes that before any addition is made to tho pre-war system of training the whole question should be carefully considered by the representatives of the people in the new Parliament. The Presbytery is strongly of the opinion that the proposed four months' segregation of our youths of IS in military camps is open to grave objection from the moral standpoint.""

In supporting this motion he said that while the committee were not pacifists they viewed with alarm tho possibility of tho Dominion being dominated by a military caste. From a moral standpoint the proposed segregation of youths was. in the opinion of the committee, prejudicial to their character.

The Rev. I. Jolly corroborated these opinions in seconding the resolution, and contended that the mattter was one on which the people of Now Zealand should be given an opportunity of expressing an opinion at the coming election.

Str'.njr support for the continuance of milityy training was forthcoming from the -V'V. A. A. Murray, who supported his argument on the contention that the paot struggle Iwd showed the ncccssity for the nation, and particularly the young mon. being physically lit. Tho prevailing spirit was a military one. and it would be suicidal to cease from recognising that active participation was essential. The doctrine of the church in the future should be to change the spirit oi the present age. Regarding the suggestion that military life had a demoralising effect on the young men, it was the duty of the church to see that they were so fortified with the word of God that they would bo immune from these influences. Seeing that the committee had admitted that it was every man's duty to defend his country, it was quite relevant to expect him to be proj perly trained.

His own personal experiences as * a I chaplain in territorial camps were quoted |by the Rev. J. Pattison in supporting i the resolution. He viewed with alarm • the proposal to throw young men into an atmosphere of obscenity and blas- | phemy. which he had witnessed, and j which involved too severe a strain on the ' morals of the average youth. For tho ! past four years we had been fighting militarism, and had spent unknown treasure and blood in that object. Surely after these sacritices the yoke of militarism was not to be placed on our own shoulders. In reply to the suggestion of the Rev. Murray that militarism was the spirit of the age. he said he understood the design was to oppress the spirit, as j instanced by the fact that Germany's forces were to be reduced from 9.000,000 to 200.000 men. and that efforts were to be made to stamp it out in England, yet a Christian minister supported a scheme which would enforce militaricm in New. Zealand.

| After several other speakers had opposed the scheme on the grounds of its moral contamination of the character of the youths, the motion was put and carried, the Rev. Murray beinp the only dissentient. Copies of the resolution are to be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence. A MILITARY CASTE. AND VESTED INTERESTS. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. At a meeting of the Wellington Presbytery, when the Defence Minister's proposal to have a four months' training period in camp for youths was unanimously condemned, the Moderator, the Rev. J. H. Mackenzie, declared: "We have created a military caste, and the military caste is gc'ng to detenu what is its vested interests. We had an *xof that this afternoon, at a meeting of the Chaplains' Committee. Tt was 'proposed to demobilise all chaplains in camps, but now we are likely to have one granted, representing Anglicans. Methodists, and Presbyterians. There are in hospital at Trentham about 200 patients, Go nurses, and 14 doctors at £800 a year. Mr. Aitken: Some of them at more. Mr. Mackenzie: I am putting that at the lowest, yet they did not" want to have a sinjrle chaplain. That is the attitude of the military caste towards the Church.