MILITARY OBJECTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18455, 19 July 1923, Page 6

MILITARY OBJECTOR.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS URGED.

LAD REFUSED | EXEMPTION.

MUST SERVE IN AMBULANCE.

■A case in \ which a member of the religious body known as - the Testimony of Jesus, sought exemption from military training, came before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. The' applicant, a boy of 15 years, for whom Mr. Hanna appeared,' objected to bearing arms, on religious and conscientious grounds.. Captain H. J. Redmond appeared for the defence department. Counsel for the applicant : said there were 1400 members of the Testimony of Jesus in New Zealand. The majority of those of military age . had' been granted exemption.

The father of the boy gave evidence of the beliefs of the sect. Members could not take service in an ambulance' corps, since that was simply helping those who were fighting, and militarism generally. • The Magistrate: I think you are training your boy in a very wrong way. Christ would not make a distinction between the soldier and the civilian, He would heap both. '

Captain Redmond : Was it not a fact that you volunteered to bear arms Witness : Yes. That was before— The Magistrate: Before he saw the light. Mr. Poynton said the boy could go into the ambulance, where all he was asked to do was to help wounded people. It was a wrong thing to say our militarism was the same as other types. It was nonsense to think we would ravage another country. Our system was not aggressive, but purely defensive. If a man was a conscientious or religious objector, he should help the wounded. ; We were neither Jew nor Gentile in the eyes of Christ, we were as brothers. To refuse such help was anti-social and therfore wrong. Mr. Hanna drew the magistrate's attention to the fact that exemption had been granted in other cases to members of, the sect. Mr. Poynton replied, that that was done at. the discretion of the magistrate. Counsel stated that in view of the magistrate's remarks he would not call further evidence.

Mr. Poynten said he could never grant exemption in such a case. The application -was refused as to general military service but service was to apply to service in the ambulance only. The father of the boy intimated that he stood by the beliefs of his religion, and would suffer for them.