MILITARY SERVICE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14440, 29 October 1917, Page 6

MILITARY SERVICE.

TEACHERS* AND CLERGY'S

EXEiMPTION.

COUNCIL PASSES BILL

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

: WELLI^GTOJ-f, this day. On Saturday afternoon, with only one speech of . protest, by Mr. J. T. Paul, against the deletion of the clergy and teachers' exemption clause, the Legislative Council passed the Expeditionary Forces Amendment Bill, which was then transmitted to the House of Representatives for approval of the amendment. Mr. Paul declared it was (intolerable, because a majority of seven m a Council of fifteen deleted clause 3, that this decision should stand. The Liberal Party had no representative m that chamber. Every man m the Council when the Bill was considered was appointed by the Reform Government. Mr. Earnshaw : Were you not appointed by the same party? Mr. Paul :' Yes, but the only differ ence is I never hide my party proclivities. I don't believe m the polite fiction that there is nd party m this Council. Everyone^ who looked at the question fairly, he added, could see abundant reasons for exempting teachers. Hundreds of things could wait during the war, but not the children's educai tion. .• The best interests of the country would be served by exempting Maris. Brothers. H© urged this absolutely without any feeling of sectarianism, because he was clear of any love for religious bigotry of any kind. The Bill passed without discussion. Subsequently it was received m the Lower House, and consideration was deferred until to-day.