CATHOLIC CLERGY

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 February 1917, Page 7

CATHOLIC CLERGY

COMPULSORY SERVICE. ‘ STRONG PROTEST. # • AUCKLAND, February 21 . The half-yearly meeting of the Now Zealand Catiiolic Federation was attended bv delegates fx-om all parts, o£ the Dominion. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted : “That this meeting, on behalf of tha Catholics of New Zealand, protest ag;. ainst the Catholic clergy arid religieaux being r . compelled to serve .under thg Military Service Act, on the following grounds —(1) That such coppulsion of clergy and religiearix is abhorrent to the minds'of Catholics and without precedent in English speaking countries ; (2> that the number of such; clergy is too insignificant to make their service as soldiers of material value in winning the war; (3) that religious ministrations of all such clergy and religieaux are absolutely necessary with, in the Dominion.t ,• “That this meeting earnestly hopes and trusts that the authorities will take immediate steps to have all such persons exempted from such service." “That this meeting fully supports •the action taken by Archbishop O’Shea in this matter, and assures'the hierarchy of New Zealand of its earnest assitsance in any further action they think advisable." yV; •' ? >w “That copies of these resolutions be sent to the Minister. "