STUDENTS PA? FINES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 11

STUDENTS PA? FINES

MILITARY TRAINING CASE. ENDS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Presbyterian Divinity students, Alan Morgan Richards and Alexander Miller, who were each fined £5 for refusing to perform military training, paid their fines to-day. At the time Miller paid his fine he also made a further application from drill. It is expected that within the next few days Richards will follow suit. “GLARING ANOMALY” POINTED OUT REQUESTS OF PRESBYTERIANS. Dunedin, Last Night. At a meeting to-day of the Presbyterian Assembly’s public committee the following resolutions were carried in reference to the Prime Minister’s statement in Parliament:— “The committee respectfully asks for an assurance from the Prime Minister that the declarations of the Minister of Justice given to a deputation on July 10 regarding (a) no discrimination between the denominations of conscientious objectorsj and (b) early gazettal of alternative service as prescribed by the Governor-General-in-Council as laid down in the Defence Act of 1912, shall be confirmed, “The committee urges that the Prime Minister’s proposal to exempt Divinity students (i.e., those studying with a view to the ministry) should be extended to all persons whoso conscientious objections to military training and service are certified by trustworthy witnesses with due regard to the obligation to render alternative non-military service. The Presbyterian Church does not ask that students for the ministry should receive preferential treatment over other young men who may claim exemption on the grounds of conscience. “The committee points out the glaring anomaly of allowing the present heavy sentences and threat of imprisonment to lie upon Richards and Miller while the justice of exempting such objectors ie at the same time acknowledged by the Prime Minister. The committee therefore respectfully asks the Prime Minister to submit these cases to the Governor-General with a recommendation that he should review the sentences.

“The committee invites all Presbyteries of the church to support this ap-peal-for the exercise of the prerogative the Governor-General.”