ANTI-MILITARISTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8457, 17 June 1913, Page 7

ANTI-MILITARISTS

CONDEMNATION OF DEFENCE ACT. Special to the “Times.” CHRISTCHURCH, June 10. A large audieiico gathered at the King’s Theatre last night to listen to speeches in condemnation of the Defence Act. Mr C. L. Beary was iu the chair. Mr E. J. Howard said that just as tho Ward Administration had been swept out of office for passing the Defence Act and giving the Dreadnought, tho Massey • Government would be swept out at the end of its term for its administration of the Act. Tho Fisher Government in Australia had fallen by tho introduction of conscription, and the same thing would follow iu New Zealand. Ho believed that tho real author of the Defence Act was the Hon. J. Allen, who had just come back from England with a mandate from the money-lenders to administer tho Act up to the hilt, and ho hoped that it would he as cruelly administered as in tho past, so that its abolition would come the sooner.

Mr F. Burgoyno said tho prosecutions of Friday showed that a brutal magistrate was administering a brutal Act passed by a brutal Government. Mr H. Denton said that if he was arrested for military detention he would give the guard an opportunity to use their fixed bayonets on him, for he intended to escape. “If possible” the passive resisters would break down military detention by obstruction and refusal to drill.

At this stage the chairman called on the waterside workers of Lyttelton to throw the next guard of officers and conscripts into Lyttelton harbour. Mr J. McTaggart, a youth, who was announced as a West Coaster, appealed to the people to bring the resisters back from military detention at the point of the bayonet. Mr R. Williams, who was announced as ope who had just served thirty days in gaol for public speaking, said that the people were up against the biggest problem in the world, and the men they had to watch were the Hon. James Allen and the Hon. A. L. Herdman. The speaker then attacked various members of the Government, and urged that if Mr Massey did not give a referendum on the Defence Act he should be “ducked" until he gave it. Mr L. P. Christie said the Passive Resisters’ Union was going to send to England an expeditionary force of six of the lads who Ixad been to gaol to tell the people there the truth of the matter, as at present the anti-mili-tarists could not, ho declared, get a fair statement of their case put to the people in England. ANTI-MILITARIST ARRESTED. AN EFFUSIVE SEND-OFF. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, June 16. This morning Edward Reginald Williams, a prominent anti-militarist, was arrested for failure to pay a £5 13s fine for refusing to register under the Defence Act at Lyttelton. Williams was given an effusive eond-off by his anti-militarist friends, who joined with a number of waterside workers in giving three cheers, while a few of the party sang a verso of “The Red Flag." _____ THE MINISTER INTERVIEWED. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, June 16. The Hon. James Allen, Minister of Finance and Defence, returned to town this afternoon. Mr G. W. Russell, M.P., introduced a large deputation from the National Peace Council on the subject of the Defence Act. Amongst the speakers was Mr C. R. N. Mackie, secretary of the Peace Council, who said that the Peace Council stood for the repeal of the Act. The Minister, replying, said that the Act was a democratic one. Tho principles underlying it were democratic — equality of sacrifice and equality of opportunity. If they could indicate to him how to determine that a youth was conscientious in his objections to military training he would put it in the Act to-morrow. The Minister indicated that ho would welcome any suggestions for the amendment of tho Act and would inquire into any specific cases of maladministration, but ho made it clear that he would not repeal the Act. _ Mr Russell referred to the fact that boys committed to military detention were, on arrival at Lyttelton, handed over to the military authorities by the police, and that they were conveyed to a boat by men with bayonets drawn. Ho put it to tho Minister that this was a display of force that t. as absolutely unnecessary and calculated to arouse feelings and passions better left smothered. The Minister said that ho did not want to arouse the feelings referred to or to have a display of force made. He would look into the matter. Mr Russell asked if tho mothers of tho boys could not bo allowed to visit them at Ripa Island. Mr Allen said lie would also inquire into this matter. If the mothers would only persuade the boys to keep tbs law he would let them go to the island every day.