APPEALS FAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23996, 20 June 1941, Page 5

APPEALS FAIL

OBJECTIONS TO WAR

CONSCIENCE CASES DECISIONS OF THE BOARD "Industrial labour sections in many parts of New Zealand have opposed the Government's War Emergency Regulations and the unrest in the Labour world at the moment and the industrial strife are horn of these regulations," said James Walter Corbett, waterside worker, before the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday during the re-hearing of an appeal on grounds of conscientious objection. Appellant stated that bis views were of a material nature.

Stating that he was a member of the industrial section of the Labour Party, appellant said this section did not always support the political party. He held that the greatest contribution to world peace would be it the working classes refused to take up arms and that the belief of the Labour Party in England was entirely foreign to those taught in the industrial section in New Zealand. British Labour's Viow Wrong

Tlio British party's view of a tight t<> the finish was entirely wrong, said appellant, and lie « - ould not sot? any difference in being under German or English imperialism. Mr. T. I'. McCready, a member of the board: Mr. William Holmes said British workers and their wives were lighting for their lives against the Nazis to safeguard the working conditions they have won at last. Appellant: I do not agree with Mr. Holmes' conceptions. After appellant had quoted several authorities in support of his views he stated that he was not responsible for the war and was not going to take part in it. His appeal was dismissed. Dismissals on Re-hearing A number of appeals on conscientious grounds set down for re-hearing were dismissed after corroborative evidence had been given by witnesses for the appellants. Two appellants, Gordon Leslie Eric MacC'arthy, carpenter, and Richard Lawrence Howe, tannery hand, were members of the sect of ( hristians, and two were Jehovah's Witnesses, Archibald Lauder, drapery salesman, and John Stephen Hose, junior, carpenter. Other appeals which were dismissed on re-bearing were those of Stephen William C'oppins, truck-driver, John Joseph Rooke. root-tiler, and Wesley Albert Chambers, student at Trinity Theological College. First hearing was given to an appeal on grounds of conscientious objection by Leslie Alexander White, casual labourer, who stated that he was a .Jehovah's Witness. He said he was completely neutral as far as the war and affairs of the world were concerned and stated that, although he would not like a Nazi victory, he would leave the matter to God.' He was not prepared to do non-combatant work. The appeal was dismissed.