RIGHT TO MEE GRANTED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21958, 9 May 1941, Page 4

RIGHT TO MEE GRANTED

Jehovah’s Witnesses Strict Conditions Prescribe (PA.) WELLINGTON, May 8 Authority for the Jehovah’s W nesses to meet for study of the Bib prayer or worship under certain p: scribed conditions is contained in notice published in the Gazette issu to-day. This organisation, and, alt< natively, those known as the Witness of Jehovah, the Watch Tower 81l and Tract Society and the Into national Bible Students’ Associati were declared subversive organisatio on October 21, 1940. Regulations were also gazetted to-d providing that an organisation declai to be subversive may be permitted the Attorney-General to carry on su of its activities that do not have subversive tendency and are n injurious to public safety. An explanation of the notice a regulations was given by the Attome General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, an interview this evening. He said th the Jehovah’s Witnesses were declar a subversive organisation becau those activities they Indulged te whi came under public notice were ot th nature. Representations had be made to the Government from time time that in suppressing all t activities of the Jehovah’s Witness the Government was interfering wi the right to meet for worship, pray and Bible study. Needless to say t Government never had any intentli of restricting these rights it exercis without detriment to the communit As it had been represented to the Go ernment that there were such innoce activities of the Jehovah’s Witness that could not be construed as su veislve, provision had been made f their exercise under certain strict co ditions which formed adequate securi against mischief. The regulatia authorised the issue of the notice whit had been made and gazetted, whk provided that the Jehovah’s Witness, shall not be considered as being subversive organisation if they mi for study of the Bible, prayer worship, and for no other purpose, a if all the following conditions wi complied with: (a) That the meeting is held or pn posed to be held within a building or tent. (b) That no public notice of t meeting or proposed meeting is giv except such as may be permitted tv constable. <c) Diat the meeting is not con menced or continued, or proposed to commenced or continued, if ar persons are present thereat other tha members or former members of any the said organisations. “The careful compliance with the; conditions,” said Mr Mason, “w ensure that innocent observances religion shall not be denied thei people, but on the other hand shall n become an occasion for anything m: chievious. One need hardly say th there shall be no lack of alertness the part of the authorities to see thi the prescribed conditions are observe!