THE DEFENCE ACT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 11 May 1912, Page 8

THE DEFENCE ACT.

SIR ROBERT STOUT'S OPINION

BY TELEGBAPH--PREBS ASSOCIATION,

AUCKLAND, May 10. The President of the Prisons Board (Sir Robert Stout), before leaving Auckland to-day, was asked by a Pressman whether the cases of any antimilitarist youths had come before the Board during its sittings here. Sir Robert replied in the negative, and explained that only prisoners undergoing reformatory treatment were dealth with by the Board. He did not hesitate to express the opinion that such youths were misguided, and that if they were not prepared to assist, in defending the country that conferred privileges on them, they should gracefully retire, say to Germany, Russia, or some other country. Sir Robert made it quite clear, however, that he had every respect for religious convictions of strict sects, but he thought provision should be made for these to serve in the nursing or ambulance divisions. He agreed that if the Country was worth living in, it was worth protecting.