COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 6

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

SEN TEN CES COM MUTED. (Fhom Ouk Own CoBB-EsroxDKvr.) CHRJSTCHUKCH, April 2. 1 he Cabinet met to-day unci decided to commute the sentences of three weeks' imprisonment passed on youths within the last few days in default of payment of finefl for refusing to take the oath of allegiance under the Defence Act. This information was given, in a. telegram from the Clime Minister to the Rev. R. H. Gray, of Christchurch, to-day. About a fortnight, ago Mr Gray wrote to Sir Joseph Ward calling his attention to the fact that Ukj laxls committed to prison under the Defence Act wei-e being treated as ordinary criminals, and asking whether this should not be altered. Mr Gray made it clear that he was in favour of the law being enforced until it.was constitutionally repealed. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he was personally against the imprisonment of youths under the defence system, and that the new Government would carefully consider it when the Question was before the House. As the treatment to which Mr Gray objected wa6 still being accorded to the lads lately sent to gaol, he wired to the Hon. T. Mackenzie asking if he could not is<sue instructions that the lads in gaol under the Defence Act should not be treated as ordinary criminals. To this a reply was received from Mr Mackenzie, this evening stating that the matter had been considered, and

the Cabinet had decided that it would commute sentences. WELLINGTON. April 3. Consequent upon tlie decision given by Mr Ridd-ell yesterday dismissing the Defence Act prosecutions, four similar charges were withdrawn by the police iu court to-day. A QUESTION OE JURISDICTION. WELLINGTON, April 2. Mr W. G. lliddell. S.M.. deliverd indement to-dav in the cases of Victor Furness and Frank Murphy, who were proceeded against by the Defend Department for failing to attend the recent garrison artillcrv camp. At the first hearing the question of jurisdiction was raised, on the ground that the alleged offences were such as should be dealt with by the defence authorities under their own regulations appearing in the New Zealand Gazette of May, 1911. His Worship considered that 'as all Territorials were subject to military law, and as there were regulations in force which gave ample and special power to the military authorities to deal in detail with breaches of discipline, proceedings against offenders for such breaches should be taken under the regulations, and not under section 51 of the Defence Act. Further, as personal service varied in character, and was spread over an annual period, the defendant should at least hav e had the opportunity afforded him during each training year' of rendering the required service within that year. Costs were applied for on the ground that the case was one of considerable importance, but his Worship refused because the case was a test case. COLONEL BELL'S CRITICISM. HAMILTON April 2. Colonel Bell, on being interviewed regarding Colonel Robin's remarks regarding soldiers' dress says:—"The full dress worn by the headquarters staff, laid down in the regulations, is the same as for th« Regular Army—gold braid and all. The appearance of the officers in this ridiculous millinery, only stirs up antagonism to a splendid system in a democratic country. The soldiers' calling in a serious one, and his garb should be in keeping with his calling, and in conformity with the ideas of a democratic country." Colonel Bell said :—" Tt may interest those gentlemen who criticised my remarks concerning the chaplains to know that they received the hearty approval of the clergy of almost all denominations, an ex-Min-ister of Defence, and hundreds of others in high positions in Church and State in Australia. New Zealand, and India. No matter what objection may be made at the present time, the public will see a radical alteration in future in the work of clergy in military camps, where they have a splendid chance to assist in carrying out the great object of the universal military training system and the elevation of the national character." PRESBYTERY DISSATISFIED. CHRISTCHURCH. April 2. The Christchurch Presbytery at its meeting to-day expressed some dissatisfaction with the position of the Presbytery in regard to the appointment of military chaplains. It was pointed out that the Revs. J. Mackenzie (St. Andrew's) and Hayward (Akaroa) were the only ministers in the Presbytery who had been officially "a/.etted to the position of chaplains. A number of names had been forwarded to the authorities through the senior chaplain for the military district (the Rev. Mr Mackenzie, of Nelson), but the appointments had not been made. The Rev. U. P. Inglis said that the public should know that it was through no fault of the Presbytery that its ministers could not attend camps in an official capacity. The Rev. Mr Mackenzie said that it could only be regretted that the appointments had not been made, but he pointed out that the authorities had experienced great difficulty h\ organising military matters, and the appointment of chaplains had not been considered in time. The Presbytery decided to make ar-

rangements for chaplains or. acting-chap-lains to be present at the Yaldhurst and Molukarara camps. QUESTION OF IMPRISONMENT. VIEWS OF MINISTERS. WELLINGTON, April 3. A Poet reporter interviewed the Prime Minister to-day with reference to the Cabinet's reported decision. His reply was as follows :—" Neither the previous Cabinet nor the present Cabinet believed that it wa-> ever intended to put our lads into a common gaol, there to be clothed with gaol garments and to have their finger-prints taken like common criminals. The provisions under the act were thought to havo been sufficient to ensure obedience to its provisions—viz., depriving those refusing to register of the right to vote, and depriving them also of their riht to enter the civil service. That, however, does not appear to have been sufficient in come cases, and the Cabinet is considering the propriety of modifying the act in some form next session." CHRISTCHURCH, April 3. A press representative this afternoon asked the Hon. G. Laurenson what the intentions of the Government were with regard to the imprisonment of youths who failed to pay their fines for refusing to register under the Defence Ait. inasmuch as the Cabinet had decided to commute the sentences of imprisonment on the lads sent to gaol last week, but had given no instructions to the Police Department not to continue enforcing the punishment for default of payment of fines under the act Mr Laurenson said the Cabinet had come to no decision in the matter at all; in fact, it was powerless to do so. Ihe law was there, and the Cabinet could do nothing until Parliament met. When Parliament met then would be the time to consider the whole question. They had released these other youths after they ha<l been in gaol a short time. These antimilitarist prosecutions. Mr Laurenson said had been practically confined to Chlbtchureh. There had been only two cases of imprisonment in Auckland and he believed only two or three in Well ngton. As far as he remembered there had not been a single case in Otago. Mr Laurenson said that an attempt had been made the other day to get up a denotation in Wellington P«£*«g against compulsory training, but it had ended in failure, and there hadbeen a • i :., \on or Ihe agitation kmiliar case in Aapiei. s . i_ ag" nst compulsory training seemed to be confined to Christchurch. Speaking for H "if he said it must be repugnant to boy* to gaol, but the was powerless to do anything till rarna ment met. _ TRAINING ADVOCATED. BISHOP CROSSLEY'S VIEWS. AUCKLAND, April 3. rri „ ,l„fi«.s of citizenship as affecting JKSrv t -ice were forcibly referred to bv Shop Crossley in the course of a Lenten address this afternoon. 'I have ."Voom," said his Loish.p, "for the chap who save 'I am not going to serve rnvcountry.' Serving your country my lads means guarding the home you W protecting those women you respect and keening that liberty you are proud of. It does not mean going out of your way to slaughter other people. d'si Knows that in New Zealand we hope war will never come, but we would be worse than fools if we did not take steps to protect ourselves against the possibilities of its coming. God had said." the Bishop proceeded! " ' he that has no sword let him sell his coat and buy one.' Suppose even there was a man with conscientious objections. Let him off by all means, but send him out to do a really tough job. Put him to some, road-making, for instance, for a similar number of days to the number he would have to serve at military training. They should not on any account allow him to escape his duty to the State." His Lordship concluded with prayer for protection from war.