MILITARY TRAINING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 273, 18 November 1927, Page 14

MILITARY TRAINING.

GROUNDS FOR EXEMPTION.

PERSONAL CONVICTION URGED

BY METHODISTS,

NEW LEGISLATION PROPOSED.

A declaration in favour of attempting to secure an amendment of the Military Training Ae£ was made by the Auckland Methodist Synod last evening as the outcome of a discussion on the case of a student for the ministry of another denomination, who was convicted in Auckland recently for failing to attend drills. In introducing the matter, the Rev. T. R. B. Wooloxall said that in the case referred to the magistrate over-ruled the conscientious objections of the defendant on the grounds that no man was entitled to exaruption unless he belonged to a particular denomination which was definitely opposed to military service. The speaker said that while he did not seek a general expression of opinion on the question of military service, he thought there was need for a definition of the • attitude of the Synod toward the law as it stood. He moved: "That,] while appreciating the difficulties of magistrates in satisfying themselves of the bona fides of objectors, the principle of determining the rights of objectors by their membership of particular churches is not altogether satisfactory, and, in the circumstances, the total withdrawal of rights to exemption on religious grounds i» desirable." The Rev. H. Ryan considered that, if recognised at all, conscientious objection on religious grounds should apply impartially to all Christian denominations.

After further discussion, the Rev. S. Griffith moved as an amendment: "That this Synod is strongly convinced that the laws relating to military training should make provision for exemption from such training and military service on the grounds of individual religious conviction, apart from the tenets of any church or denomination to which the applicants belong. That the conference be recommended to request the Temperance and Morals Committee to take measures, in co-operation with other churches, to sccure the necessary amendment of the Act."

The amendment was carried by 20 votes to 16, and, on being put to the meeting as the motion, was carricd by 22 votes to 14.