CONSCRIPTION—OF THE OTHER? FELLOWS.

NZ Truth, Issue 570, 20 May 1916, Page 8

CONSCRIPTION— OF THE OTHER? FELLOWS.

Dear "Truth." — The fact that the General Synod of New Zealand, at its seance In Chrlstchureh, has decided unanimously m favor of 'letting: Parliament know that the Syngd was with It heart and soul m whatever steps it chooses to take to preserve the integrity of the Empire," has been given very great prominence m the Chrlßtchurch newspapers, the several reports resembling one another so closely that suspicious people might well be pardoned for assuming that they were all carefully supplied from the same source, tho verbiage being; slightly altered Jn each case m order, no dOUDt, that tho public might not be mlslod into inferring that tho whole thing was n scheme operated from somewhere m Welllnßton. No doubt tho joyful news was flashed over the length and breadth of tho Dominion, as was tho fact that In the House on Tuesday week "Mr. Massoy quoted the resolution ot loyally passed by the Anglican Synod" (the day before). Apparently, Mr. Maßaey did not protest that the public ought not to think that the whole tiling was a "put up Job," a thing they might easily do m viow of tho famous cru--Bado of the Reformers, just after th« strike, to induce local bodies to pass resolutions m praiso of the Government. But the General Synod Is higher game, and being sifch should be above suspicion. No one should bo so evilly disposed as to Imagine that tho resolution In favor of conscription went Into tho Synod before It came out. As tho pemonal condition*? and ages of tho members of the General Synod have not been referred to. let alone described, a glance at the group photograph In tho "Canterbury Times" of May 10 will nil the omission. It will bo seen that nil the persons constituting thru august body are at least CO years young, and. Judging from experience, look Just the kind of bipods one would expect to pa«« such a resolution. One does not need to bo told that the clergy and laymen composing the group would be inclined to wait until conscription Is instituted rather than enlist now. t Attention Ih also drawn to the fact that tho resolution was not passed until "a prayer for thu ■' Divine guidance .of Parliament on tho important issues that would conu» before it," had been "breathed" by the Lord Bishop of Auckland. Divinity not being allowed to communicate with Parliament without tho Synod Intervening aa a sort of military censor. — Yours, etc., LIMELIGHT. Cbrlntchurch.