SWORD AND SPADE.

Waikato Times, Issue 12185, 21 September 1911, Page 4

SWORD AND SPADE.

TERRITORIALS AND QUAKERS

WELLINGTON, Wednesday

In the course of his speech in the Budget debate last evening, Mr Isitt (Chpistohureh North) said 'that in his opinion the Government had male a grave mistake in launching the defence scheme, and if this mistake; was not rectified, the success of the whole) scheme would be imperilled while the Government might suffer embarrassment. In any territorial training scheme that was to be a permanent success in New Zealand there must be a conscience clause, even at the risk of that clause being abused. He loathed war, but he recognised 'that under present conditions New Zealand must have a scheme of defence. There must, however, he some consideration shown for men whose religious- convictions would not allow them to bear arms. There were 600 quakers in New Zealand, people who had many admirable qualifies, and such citizens as the Dominion could not afford to ignore. He warned the Government against the danger; of outraging the rights of these people. Of their patriotism there was no doubt, and they would cheerfully perform any compulsory duties of a non-military character. H© suggested that provision should be made to enable them to devote the amount of time given by the territorials ito road-making, gorse gmbfeincr, or city beautifying. Such work would not be refused by the Quakers, and it would soon bring lo light the skulkers, whose "religious convictions " would evaporate when they found that they would not escape their responsibilities.