MILITARY SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 112, 5 February 1941, Page 11

MILITARY SERVICE

Conscientious Appeals To Board MORE CASES HEARD Attitude Of Seventh Day Adventists The attitude of the Seventh Day Adventists toward war was defined before the No. 4 Armed Forces Appeal Board at Wellington yesterday by Henry George Moulds, president of the North New Zealand Seventh Day Adventist Society. He produced the articles of the Church, No. 15 of which, dealing with “liberty of conscience,” stated that members would perform any non-combatant service which their religious convictions would allow, each to be free to follow his own conscience in all matters pertaining to the State. The appeal under consideration was that o£ Ivan James Henry Snalgar, radio engineer, which was part heard on Monday. Appellant was prepared to do radio or medical work or other non-eomhatant duties. The Crown representative, Mr. C. O. Bell, said that to succeed an appellant must object to war on all sides, combatant and non-combatant. Non-Combatant Service. Moulds suid the regulations provided for conscientious objectors but not for those prepared to give noncombatant service. The members of bis church were not conscientious objectors in that they did not refuse to serve. The question of refusing to engage tn war in any circumstances was the main plank which an appellant on conscientious grounds must establish, said the chairman, Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M. This appellant, and apparently other members of his church, were prepared to do medical corps or Army service corp work. This was under military control. Was there any objection to that? Moulds: No. The chairman said that, under the tegulations, the board could not distinguish between a man prepared to do all combatant service and those willing to do service other than that concerned with killing. • Moulds said every true Seventh Day Adventist was not prepared to render service between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday, except for acts of mercy or necessity. Medical corps work would come under the latter category. Members would do work for the physical welfare of the armed forces. Decision was reserved. Former Church Member. Reginald Colin Painter, tailor’s presser, appealing on the ground of conscientious objection, said he was brought up a Seventh Day Adventist and considered it wrong to take life. He would serve in a non-combatant capacity. He had been exempted from compulsory military training when this was in force. To Mr. Bell, appellant said he did not now attend regularly at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, nor had he taken any active part in church work for two or three years. He had worked on Saturdays—his church sabbath — but not much.

Mr. Bell: Have you any evidence to substantiate that you are a member of the church? —I am not a member now. Why did you leave —I could not explain that in a few words. The appeal was dismissed. Open Brethren Appeal. The appeal of Stanley James Ireland, baker’s labourer, a member of the Open Brethren, was dismissed. His appeal, based on conscientious objection, was heard along with 10 other Open Brethren appellants on Monday. He joined the Brethren in 1939 and was willing to do non-combatant service under civil control. William Bramwell Jones, studentelect for the Baptist ministry, appealed on the ground of public interest. He said he had applied for entrance to the Baptist college in 1938 and was accepted in 1940. He had also taken a correspondence course for five years, getting a diploma in 1939. The secretary of the Baptist Union of New Zealand said that the church was short of ministers. There were 60 of them to 26,000 people. Some churches were, without ministers. The appeal was dismissed. No Appearances. The appeal of Reggie Howarth, ship’s engineer, on the grounds of public interest and conscientious objection, was struck out as he did not appear. Mr. Bell said appellant was described in his registration form as a freezing works employee. The appeal was not supported by the Shipowners’ Federation. The appeal of David Aitken, watersider, on the grounds of public interest, hardship and conscientious objection, was struck out. He did not appear. Decision was reserved in the appeal of Noel Bonafacius Anderson, shop assistant, who appealed on the ground of conscientious objection but was willing to do non-combatant service under military control. He stated he lodged his appeal to get an assurance regarding non-combatant service. Anderson said he did not object to non-combatant work, but could get no assurance that he would be given this. The chairman said that in such . a ease as appellant’s the army would endeavour to place him in the medical or army service corps. However, it was never known what day the exigencies of the situation would require a man in such a unit to do other service. “Suppose you were driving a truckload of Italian prisoners and one tried to give you a length of steel,” Mr. Stilwell asked. “Would you try to stop him?” Appellant: Not by violence. Such as by giving him a crack on the head. You would not mind doing that in the circumstances? —No, but if it came to the point I would rather be killed than take life. Appellant explained that lie bad tried to get an assurance from the army authorities of non-combatant service and had written to the Minister of National Service. However, he had been informed he must appeal as a conscientious objector. One-Man Business. Jack Edward Ward, grocer. Island Bay (Mr. 11. McCormick I appealed on the ground of hardship. His wife, Mary L. Ward, co-uppeuled on the same ground. It was stated that Ward had a one-mau business which', if he was called up, he would have to dispose of. This would be practically impossible as such businesses were a drug on the market. He started the business 2J years ago. He bad no employees; his wife agisted him. It seemed that through Import control almost every type of business in Wellington similar to his was on the market. Me thought he would lose 1300

if he sold out. There were 14 grocers at Island Bay. The appeal was dismissed, subject to Ward not being called up for three mouths. Appeal Dismissed. The appeal of Alfred William Henry Amrobus. van driver, on the grounds of hardship and conscientious objection, and the eo-appeal of his wife, Mavis Autrobus, on the ground of hardship, .were dismissed.