“ABSOLUTELY FUTILE”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17023, 7 August 1929, Page 4

“ABSOLUTELY FUTILE”

MILITARY TRAINING SUPPORT FOR OBJECTORS (Per Press Association.) TIMAIIU, last, night. The question of military training and conscientious objection was the subject of a long discussion to-day at a meeting of the Tirnaru Presbytery. This .was taken in committee, but the attitude of the presbytery was indicated in a motion, which was carried unanimously and released for publication. The motion was as follows: “The presbytery of Tirnaru hereby resolves that in the matter of military training and all other public services and relations to the State, it be respectfully pointed out that the Presbyterian Church has always stood, and still stands emphatically, for the rights of individual conscience. The presbytery, therefore, supports the Assembly’s public question committee in its appeal: (1) That exemption be granted to- all persons whose conscientious objections to military service are certified by trustworthy witnesses, without discrimination between denominations; (2) that the alternative for military service should be prescribed as provided by the Act; (3) that in view of the admission that tho penalties imposed on Richards and Miller rested on an unduly harsh interpretation of the Act, Governor-General be respectfully approached with a view to exercising his prerogative in reviewing the sentences. The presbytery, furthermore, emphasises the loyalty of the church and dissociates itself from any claim that any particular servant or member of the church should be exempted from military service except upon the grounds of their individual conscientious objections.” A further motion moved hv the Rev. P. G. Hughes was also carried unanimously; “That the presbytery urges upon the Assembly’s public questions committee the desirability of appealing to all members and adherents of the Presbyterian Oiiurch to use every constitutional means to secure the repeal of the compulsory clauses of the Defence Act, on the grounds that compulsory military training (a) is contrary to the whole trend of British sentri ment and policy; (b) fosters and encourages the spirit which has already brought civilisation to the very verge of destruction; and (c) is diametrically l opposed to the church’s deeper understanding of the mind and spirit of Christ.”

Speaking to the second motion. Mr. Hughes made a sweeping condemnation of the militarv training system, in the course of which he described it as “absolutely futile” and “a waste of time and money.”

Mr. Hughes’ views were supported bv the moderator, the Rev. H. P. Fell, who declared that the system of terri : torial training was absolutely of no use in actual warfare. Mr. Fell spoke from personal experience, having been on active service. SENTENCE ON STUDENTS DEMAND FOR REMISSION (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, lost night. The Southland Presbvtery to-day adopted the following resolution: “That the presbytery is of opinion that the sentences imposed by the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, on the young men Richards and Miller, are. in view of the ouestiou of conscience involved, excessive. The presbytery therefore gives its hearty support to the action of the Assembly’s public questions committee in requesting that the sentences he reviewed.”