EXEMPTION FROM DRILL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1929, Page 11

EXEMPTION FROM DRILL

AUCKLAND STUDENTS’ CASE

VIEWPOINT OF PRESBYTERIANS.

REVIEW OF SENTENCES ASKED

Bj Telegraph.—Press Association.

Dunedin, Last Night.--At a meeting of the .public questions committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand to-day the result of the visit o/ the deputation which waited on the. Alinister of Defence in Wellington recently was discussed, and the following resolutions carried: —

“The committee is gratified to recognise the assurances which have been .riven to the deputation by the Alinister of advances towards a settlement of the existing difficulties in regard to applications for exemption on the. ground of conscience from the pro< vision of -compulsory military training, particularly: (a) The Minister’s statement that no denomination discrimination shall be shown in respect of conscience objectors, and (b) the Minis-, ter’s undertaking that prescriptions of alternative service shall be gazetted and published in a regular manner. : • “It is resolved that this committee shall immediately approach the Prime Alinister with the request that he bring the whole matter before his Cabinet in order that the sentences imposed oir Alan Al. Richards and Alexander Miller be reviewed as early as possible. “That the presbyteries of the church be invited to take action along similar lines.

“That the committee welcomes tho prospect of impending measures which should bring the Dominion into closer co-operation with the movement for world peace.”

PROAITSE OF PRIME MINISTER THE DEPUTATIONS LAST WEEK. A definite promise that the whole case of the Divinity students, Richards . and Miller, would be considered by Cab? inet early this week was given by the Prime Alinister, Sir Joseph Ward, on Friday in reply to a deputation of Labour members, who waited on him. The Hon. T. AL Wilford, Alinister of Defence, was present. All-. H. E. Holland said he considered it a most deplorable thing that the religious convictions of boys were not be? ing recognised; that they were being put in prison'and deprived of civil rights for ten years. It was too late in the history of the world to take up the at’' titude that a man should be penalised for his religious belief. Mr. Barnard said the law placed rather a severe burden on the magis< trates in asking them to judge a man’l conscience. He asked if the warrant: for the aivest of the boys could not b«, held over. The Alinister of Justice said he had no power to do that. Air. Holland: Somebody must hav< power. Sir Joseph Ward: A day or two will not hurt the boys. Air. Jordan remarked that it would have been better if Wednesday’s depu». tation had gone to Sir Joseph Ward in the first place. Sir Joseph replied that it might have been better if he had been present at the time of the first deputation.

Replying on Wednesday to a deputation which consisted of 13 ministers of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Wilford said: “I do not care what the religiouiY convictions of the man be, anyone hai. : a right to apply for exemption from. £ military training if he conscientiously 1 . believes he should not do it.

“The clear duty of the magistrate in considering such applications is to ascertain by asking questions, .or other means, if the applicants are conscientiously objecting, but if he believes they / arc not conscientiously objecting/ he/./ would not be worthy of the name of, magistrate if he granted that, exemp- \ tion.” 'S-'U

Mr. Wilford said bluntly that he did not intend to do anything in the way: of interfering with the sentences passed on Richards and Miller. Not one istrate, but three, had found these men were not conscientious objectors. That:;;,.*:; was his position, and he had to accept. the opinion of three magistrates, for whom he had the highest respect. NU Warrants for the arrest of the two. students had not been executed on Fri</4 day. Instead the Magistrate’s Court issued an attachment order against Mill- M er's employers for payment into Court ■’ of 15s a week until the fine and costa . amounting to £5 13s wer© ; paid. No/':: order of this nature was issued in the case of Richards, as he was a full-time student and was not in employment. '