RELIGIOUS OBJECTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16762, 31 January 1918, Page 4

RELIGIOUS OBJECTOR.

APPEAL BY ACCOUNTANT, THE STATE AND DIVINE LAW. Kbnfst H. Wright, public accountant, Bayswater, and a member of the Society of Friend?, appealed on the ground that he belonged to B class of the Second Division and held religious objections under section 18. In a letter to the commandant, appellant said he personally believed the taking of life to be wrong, and further that every man's first duty was to serve God as his conscience might direct, and that service to the State, 6ave where the law worked in accordance with the principles of Christian truth, was of secondary importance. The Military Service Act over-rode both of these considerations and to make his protest clear he was unable to accept any liability for the service imposed under it. At the same time he held it to be his highest duty to lead a law-abiding life and would continue to do so. Although ha had a wife and child to support and private and business responsibilities to attend to, he expected to be in a position to relinquish his vocation in March, if Required to do 80. Appellant said he proposed to give no evidence as to belonging to B class. He merely wished for time to arrange his> affairs and was not raising the question of religious objections as they had been gone into before. He was not prepared to sign the undertaking. To Major Conlan: He was aware hisappeal would have to be dismissed, but was not prepared to prove his class. Major Conlan said there was no need to go into appellant's business affairs as he would not be taken into camp before May. Leave was granted to May 1.