MILITARY TRAINING.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1929, Page 10

MILITARY TRAINING.

Th© decision arrived at by the Prime Minister in regard to two divinity students in Auckland, who refused to attend drill or undertake the alternative duties which are permitted under the Dominion’s defence training system, is very regrettable. No one will deny that in regard to universal military training there are divergent views held in all honesty, and that religious tenets very materially affect the attitude taken in regard to it. Provision exists for those who object to training on conscientious grounds to accept other forms of service than that of training in the use of arms, and, if they can satisfy a court that their objection is honest and based purely upon religious scruples, they may be granted total exemption from any form of military service. The qualification is an important one. In the Auckland eases, as was pointed out by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. T. M. Wilford), no less than three magistrates had arrived at the conclusion that the motives prompting refusal to attend drill were other than religious belief. Mr. Wilford refused to interfere with the findings of the magistrates, and an appeal was then made to the Prime Minister. In effect, Sir Joseph Ward’s ruling is that while the decision of the magistrate is not to be disturbed, other similar applications for exemption will be granted. Such a decision is a blow at the whole principle of national training. It removes the safeguard whereby applicants for exemption have to satisfy a court that their claims are bona fide, and seems likely to open the way to widespread evasion of the Defence Act. It is well known that the Labour Party is opposed to universal military training in principle, and quite apart from any religious scruples, and there is little doubt but that the Prime Minister’s decision in regard to the Auckland cases will be used to further the cause of abolition of military training. So far no party has shown any bettei’ method of preparing for a national emergency than that of universal training, and before that system is abolished it would seem necessary to show how national safety is to be otherwise provided for. Until a satisfactory alternative is shown it would seem essential that the present system should be maintained in its entirety without being whittled away at the behest of any body of opinion, whether religious or political.