REFUSED TO DRILL

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19644, 13 June 1929, Page 6

REFUSED TO DRILL

DIVINITY STUDENTS BEFORE COURT. FINED AND DEPRIVED OF CIVIL RIGHTS. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, June 12. Deprived of their civil rights for ten years and ordered to meet penalties of £5 each, A. Miller and Alan M. Kichards, Presbyterian Divinity students, -were severely censured by Mr I\ K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court this afternoon. Both young men, who were charged with failing to attend drill, had refused service on religious grounds. Miller's case was called first, and Captain "Wales described him as one of those young men who objected to military training through religious scruples. "We have offered him work at the public hospital as an equivalent of his military training," he said. "He could go there in civilian clothes, and would in no way be connected with the Defence Department." According to the Captain, Miller's answer to that had been that he would not accept unless he was first exempted, and that it should be gazetted by Order-in-Council that the work was the equivalent of training. Mr Hunt: That is only splitting straws. I make you the offer again. Do you accept or not? Miller: I do not. The Magistrate was passing sentence when Captain Wales intervened. "The Department," he said, "asks that he be deprived of his civil rights, but that no penalty be imposed." "What has the Department got to do with it?" asked the Magistrate. "It has nothing to do with the action of the Court. Here is a boy earning money and he should pay a fine the same as anyone else." Eichards's name was then called. and it was mentioned that he had been convicted twice previously and fined £5 on each occasion. His position was the same as Miller's. The Magistrate: He hopes to teach others and must himself learn to obey first. Kichards also refused the offer which had been made to Miller.

John X. McDougall was also charged with failing to attend drill. "I consider it un-Christian," he said. He described himself as a Presbyterian. His application for exemption from military training was refused. "Will you go to drill now?" asked the Magistrate. McDougall: No. The Clerk of the Court reminded the Magistrate that when McDougall had last appeared his father had said that, although he did not approve of the boy's action, he believed him to be sincere. McDougall was fined £1 and costs. "Prosecute next time if he does not go to drill," advised the Magistrate. "I wonder how long his father will go on paying fines for him."