DEFENCE DEPARTMENT: ALTERNATIVE SERVICE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS TO MILITARY TRAINING (RETURN RELATIVE TO).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1914 Session I, H-19c

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1914. NEW ZEALAND.

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT: ALTERNATIVE SERVICE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS TO MILITARY TRAINING (RETURN RELATIVE TO).

Presented to both Houses t>j the General Assembly by Leave,

CIRCULAR LETTER ADDRESSED TO MAYORS AND CHAIRMEN OF COUNTY COUNCILS THROUGHOUT THE DOMINION BY THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE. Deak Sin, — Office of Minister of Defence, Wellington, 23rd March, 1914. Conscientious and Religious Objectors to the Defence Scheme. As you are doubtless aware, the Defence Act makes provision for the exemption from military service of those persons who satisfy a Magistrate that their religious principles would be violated by a performance of military duties. The advisability of providing similar exemption to those who on " conscientious " grounds seek to be relieved is now being considered. In justice to those who in accordance with the Act carry out the prescribed military training, it is felt that some equivalent service of a non-military nature should be exacted from those who for religious or conscientious reasons cannot see their way to carry out their statutory military obligations. It is considered that it might be possible to employ those exempted on religious or conscientious grounds in work that might be of use to the community. The time spent on such work should be the equivalent of the military duties performed by members of the Territorial Force and Senior Cadets, and if in camp, pay and allowances should be given for an amount of work equivalent to that performed by those doing military duty when in camp. The General Regulations, from which the necessary extracts are appended, show the work for which it is sought to provide an equivalent. At present the number of " religious objectors " is not considerable. There are only sixtynine so exempted in the Dominion, but it is probable that when exemptions are extended to the " conscientious " objectors there will be an increase. I should be most grateful if you could favour me with any suggestions on the following : — (1.) What nature of work would be most suitable in town or country? Would the local authorities provide work? (2.) What would be the most suitable method of supervising and recording the work done? Would the local authorities assist in the administration? (3.) Would it be possible to carry out the work as provided in Regulations 247 (excluding (d) ) and 249 (excluding (c) ) attached hereto? If not, how would you propose to allot the time for work 1 (4.) Any other points that may occur to you. I feel sure that you will gladly second the efforts of the Government to equalize the duties of personal service in such a manner that all persons may, during the period for which they are liable to serve under the Defence Act, contribute a just share of work to their country without doing violence to their religious convictions or to their consciences. Yours faithfully, J. Allbn, Minister of Defence. To all Mayors and Chairmen of County Councils on the 26th March, 1914.

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Extract from the Regulations for the New Zealand Military Forces, 1913. Obliyatory Training, 246. The training-year will commence on the Ist June and terminate on the 31st May succeeding. 247. The amount of obligatory training to be carried out annually by all ranks of the Territorial Force, Reserve, and Senior Cadets will be as follows: — TERRITORIAL FORCE. ('/.) 'thirty drills (twenty of which will be out-of-door parades).* (Ij.) Twelve half-day or six whole-day parades (all of which will be exercises in the held, except in the case of Garrison Artillery units, which will be exercised at the works of defence to which they are allotted on mobilization). (c.) Seven days' annual training in camp (exclusive of the days of arrival and departure). ('/.) Prescribed course of musketry. The prescribed course of musketry (d) may be carried out during (a) and (b). Mounted liitie regiments, and such Infantry companies and portions of such as are composed of men living in the country, will substitute four extra days' training in camp in lieu of twenty drills under ("). Such training will take place on the four days immediately preceding the annual camp laid down in (c). Rations and forage, but no pay, will be given for the four extra days in cam]). 'J , he remaining ten drills may. at the discretion of the officer commanding the unit, b< , converted into whole- or half-day parades. Th< prescribed course of musketry may be carried out during the extra four days in camp. All units and portions of units carrying out the scale laid down in para. 247—that is to say, those units who do not go into cam}) for four extra days in lieu of twenty drills— will complete their annual musketry course prior to the annual camp laid down \n (c). REBERA K. 248. Two half-day parades or their equivalent with a Territorial unit or company, &C. SENIOR CADKTB. ■2 1!!. (p.) Fifty drills of one hour's duration, or thirty-four drills of one and a half hours' duration. (6.) Six half-day parades. (c.) Prescribed course of musketry. 250. In all cases the number of drills and parades, ivc, performed will l)e entered in the Attendance Roll-books and in accordance with para. 212, and at the end of each year in the Record-books. 251. Programmes, &c, of parades, showing the times and places of parades in the Territorial Force and Senior Cadets, will be issued in advance by Company, &0., Commanders, with the approval of the CO. The programme will l>c arranged as far as possible to suit the convenience of the employers and local conditions. Attendance ai parades and drills so ordered, and at any other parades or drills ordered by the proper authority, is obligatory on the part of the person notified to attend. Persons absenting themselves without leave from any parade or drill ordered by the proper authority are liable to lie prosecuted under section 51 of the Defence Act. Alternative dates will not be given in the case of parades ot drills called imder para. 247 of these Regulations. Voluntary parades may be arranged, but attendance thereat will be purely voluntary, will not count towards the- minimum amount of training required under para. 247, and will not be entered in the Record-books. 252. At the end of each year individual N.C.0.8 and soldiers of the Territorial Force, and each Senior Cadet, will be classified according to the degree of efficiency attained, either as "efficient" or " non-eiiicient." in accordance with the table given in Appendix XI. The classification will Ih' entered in the Record-books. 25.'!. No soldier or cadet will be eligible [or advancement to the raids of non-commissioned officer until he lias reached the standard of lirst-elass efficiency, nor will any Territorial soldier be eligible for transfer to the Reserve, under para. 107, until he has reached the same standard. Definition of Drills; Whole- or Half-day I'wradti, DRILLS. 2.11. A "drill" will consist of one and a hid!' hours' actual instruction, except that in the Senior Cadets a drill may consist of cither one hour's or one and a half hours' actual instruction at the discretion of the O.C. Company, and provided that not less than fifty hours' actual instruction is given during the year under para. 2 1') (fi). 255. Training performed at drills should be of an elementary character, and consist of individual or company training in the Infantry and the corresponding training in the other arms. The men will always be trained by their own officers or X.C.O.s, assisted by the Permanent Instructional Staff.

* Out of door par.ulos may be carried out in the evening, and will not be devoted entirely to drill, but will include route-marching, outposts by day and by night, entrenching, signalling, driving, &c, and such work as cannot conveniently be carried out indoors. In the case of Artillery and technical corps, including Field Ambulance and Mounted Field Ambulance, the number of out-of-door parades may be reduced at the discretion of the V.O. The principle is jhat the drill-shed shall be avoided as far as possible.

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'!'){'). Drills will be arranged and distributed throughout the year so as to provide a progressive svsk'tii of training which should culminate in the annual camp. 257. Attendances at war games, cliurch parades, funerals, guards of honour, or on street duty will not count as part of the obligatory training required under para. 2-47. WHOLE- OR HALF-DAY PARADES. 258. (1.) A half-day parade, both in the Territorial Force and in the Senior Cadets, will consist of nut less than three hours' continuous instruction in the open and during daylight. (2.) A whole-day parade will consist of not less than six hours' continuous instruction by day in- night. (3.) Whole-day parades «ill be allowed to count as two half-days, and a half-day parade will be counted as the equivalent of two drills.

ALTERNATIVE SERVICE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS TO MILITARY TRAINING. Summary of Replies received in answer to Circular Letter Dated 23rd March, 1914, addressed to all Mayors and Chairmen of County Councils.

Borough or County Council. If in favour of Alternative Servioe for Religious and Conscientious Objectors. Suggestion. Remarks. Ak'aroa Yes No shirkers from military duty in the borough. Council will be pleased to help the Defence Department in any way possible and provide work. Akitio Yes Quarry-work, &e., or work not requiring oonstant supervision Amuri Ashburton Fatigue-work at damps. To be laid before the Council, and decision notified later. Council will assist the Government in any manner possible in carrying out any scheme so provided. Bay of Islands Yes, but not as regards exemption on conscientious grounds Repair and maintenance of public roads Bruce Recommending that the Government find employment [or objeotors on various public works. Town-beautifying under supervision of engineer or overseer Carterton Castlci>oint Yes Yes Council is willing to undertake to find employment, under Government supervision, which might be done by the local constable. It is desired that objectors should be allowed (or OOmpelled) to cany out the whole of their substituted duties for liny year at one time, so as not to have to be called up at frequent intervals. Tree-planting under Government supervision Dillieult to arrange services in odd or half-hours ; whole time should be given at one time. ':, Cheviot No knowledge of any objectors in district. Acknowledged, but no action to be taken. Yes Christchurch Clutha Collingwood Cook .. Camp cooks or assistants. No recommendation ( lannot indicate any particular class of work at present. Cooking or general rou.seabout work. Town-planning schemes.. No suggestion .. No objectors in district. Yes Coromandel .. , . No sympathy with objectors. Anticipated that there will bo no objectors in the borough. Devonport Eastbourne Egmont Afforestation and eradication of noxious weeds. Government should provide work.. No recommendation Eketahuna Eltham Borough Council.. Yes Yes Council has no work suitable. All persons should render service during the time they are liable. Objectors should be disfranchised. Eltham County Council .. Featherston Feilding Gisborne Greytown Yes Yes No recommendation Cutting noxious weeds on Crown lands. No recommendation. Would be prepared to adopt any workable suggestion the Minister might make (I.) Making track from Woodside (near Greytown) to Otaki. (2.) Planting trees. (3.) Serve out 100 or 200 rounds of ammunition to the men employed as above for target practice under supervision of their O.C. Companies [sic). Supervision of objectors would prevent local bodies utilizing their services. Borough has no work at present.

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Summary of Replies received in answer to Circular Lette r— continued.

Borough or County Council. If in favour of Alternative Servicefor Religious and Conscientious Objectors. Suggestion. Hcmarks. Hamilton Objects to rinding work.. Hopes the Government will maintain the defence system as at present established. Letter received. Little sympathy with objectors. Hawera Hawkc's Bay Willing to employ objectors on suitable roadwork under the supervision of its overseers. No exemptions should be allowed to conscientious objectors Hobson Horowhenua Yes Work about Defence buildings and camps, improving parks, recrea-tion-grounds, &c. Earnestly trusts the Government will enforce the conditions of compulsory training. In country districts to be under supervision of county surfaceman in eradicating noxious weeds and repairing roads. Hutt lnangahua Kaiapoi Kaikoura Kairanga No suggestions. No recommendations ('aiinot undertake any responsibility. No action to be taken. Letter received. Should be undertaken by the Defence Department. Yes Lawrence Levels Tree-planting. Levin Lower Hutt Lyttelton Yes fee Improvement or maintenance of public domains or reserves Stone-breaking To again come up for discussion in May, when suggestions will be made. Will use its best endeavours to find suitable work when occasion arises. Question entirely one for the consideration of the Government. Cost should not be borne by local authorities. Day-work unsatisfactory. Would endeavour to assist. Mackenzie Yea Makara Pick-and-shovel work in improving the main roads, and an area officer be placed in charge with one of the local-body foremen to assist in directing the work. ( 'ooking and fatigue-work at camps. Manawatu Marton Conscientious clauses should not bo included in the defence scheme. Masterton Matamata Yea .No suggestions. Would provide work, and suggests road-repairs on main roads Desires to know how men are to be |>aid and quartered. An objector should, if possible, be engaged in the district to which he belongs. No recommendation. Prepared to find work for those exempted in district. Cannot find employment. Mataura Miramar Tree-planting or roadmaking Mount Eden Manual labour in connection with Mount Herbert camps No suggestions Cannot offer employment. Regrets that the Defence Act has been so amended as to allow men to claim exemption on " conscientious " or religious grounds. Will provide such work for local objeotors and assist in the administration by supervising and recording the work done. Murchison Improving public domains, recrea-tion-grounds, cemeteries, &c. New Brighton New Plymouth Ohinemuri No suggestions. No suggestions. No suggestions Palmerston North Pahiatua 1'atea .. Yes Yes Ambulance-work. No suggestions. Work on main county roads under (lovemment supervision. Willing to assist the Department in the matter. Petone Piako Has no .suitable work. Considers defence system should be strictly enforced, and that conscientious objectors are of little value. Letter considered and received. Pohangina Rangitikei Planting sand-dunes and other waste lands throughout the Dominion under the supervision of the propel Department. Roxburgh Does not know of any immediate work for which objectors could be employed. Consideration held over. Proposed scheme would not be workable. Southland Stratford Borough Council

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Summary of Replies received in answer to Circular Letter — continued.

Borough or County Council. If in favour of Alternative *'■!■■ dee for Religious and Conscientious Objectors. Suggestion. Remarks. Stratford County Council.. Sumner Taranaki Yes Yes No suggestions.. Tree-planting and planting grasses to control sand-drift Has no suitable work for objectors at present. Work could be found in the borough for objectors. Such work would be useful in connection with defence, and delinquents should be compelled to beautify if they will not protect their country. Very few objectors in county. Youths appear to enjoy camp and are anxious to attend. Tawera No suggestions.. Te Aroha Temuka Vos Yes Yes Yes IJestroying noxious weede. Training in ambulance-work Should be carried out entirely by the Defence Department. Referred to General Purposes Committee for report. Will undertake to find work provided Government will supervise (local constable). Service should be performed atone time annually. Some members suggested employment on irrigation-works. Caretaker of parks, &c, might supervise. Thames Tinui Yes Yes Vincent Resolved that no action be taken.. Waiapu Waihi Yes Yes fee Yes Tree-planting in Government reserves or generally on work for the improvement of public parks and domains No suggestions Waikouaiti Yes Yes No objectors in district as far as is known. Defence scheme has Council's hearty approval. Quite satisfied with the way the Government is dealing with conscientious and religious objectors. Cannot make any recommendation. Waimairi Waimarino Yes Cooking and ambulance duties at camps. No suggestions.. Yes Waimate West Wairarapa South Waitaki See See Every man should be qualified and prepared to defend his country if need arises. Referred to Committee. Will advise later. Glad to assist, but do not see how it would be possible to do so. Borough foreman would supervise. No conscientious objectors in district. No objectors should be allowed. Waitara Yes Yes Tree-planting Waitemata Waitotara Wallace Wanganui Borough Council No suggestions Fatigue duties at camps. No action taken. Referred to Reserves Committee. Will advise later. Wanganui County Council Wellington Westland Fatigue duties at camps. No suggestionsObjectors should be deported, or lose their civil rights, or be put in gaol Councillors spoke strongly against objectors, and are in entire sympathy with compulsory service. Formal acknowledgment. Such a course would be extremely difficult in its application, and somewhat unwise. Letter placed before Council and received. Westport .. .. , Whangarei Yea Woodville Akaroa Suppleme ivtn ry L is t. Understands there are practically no defaulters in this county. Would undertake to supervise any work done in the town. Appreciates the attempt the Government is making to deal with the difficult situation. Cannot undertake the idea of employing unwilling workers. Balclutha Tree-planting or some similar work of general interest to the country Tree-planting and general beautifying of towns No suggestion Buller Cambridge Dargaville Kaitangata No suggestion. Not in favour of any exemption being made either on religious or any other grounds. Not disposed to fall in with the suggestion, as in its opinion no exemptions should be allowed. Kawhia Masterton No suggestions. NO SU!

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Summary of Replies received in answer to Circular Letter — continued.

Borough or County Council. If in favour of Alternative Service for KnliKions and Conscientious Objectors. Suggestion. Remarks. losgiel Should not be eligible for any |«>si t ion in the Civil Service, or allowed to take part in land-ballots, and should lie disfranchised. lapier raslow )tamatea 'ort Chalmers .. Letter received, but no action taken. Would bo prepared to provide work such as gorse-grubbing, digging holes for tree-planting, and troeplanting, but would not lie prepared to undertake any administration or siii>ervision in connection therewith ; also, is of opinion that it could provide sufficient work to meet the time conditions of training as set out in the regulations. Is of opinion that persons who refuse to comply with the provisions of the Defence Act on conscientious grounds should not be relieved from their military duties, but should be compelled by law to carry out their military obligations under the Defence Act. Letter laid before the Council for consideration and received. Work to be under Government supervision, and each man must at least break 1 k cubic yards a day. The time taken by Territorials in getting to the parade-ground be taken into account in fixing the time to be served in lieu of training. Quite satisfied to leave the matter entirely to the discretion of the Defence Department. Matter should be left in the hands of the Government. Should not be eligible for any |>osi. tion in the Civil Service, or to take part in a land-ballot. laglan lodney Breaking metal spalls into roadmetal on'conti'aot or other easily supervised work Employment on public works that suit eaoh locality loss No opinion to offer No opinion to offer it. Kilda .'aiori .. "auranga Yes Exempted by making a oapitation ]>ayment of, say. a sum equivalent to the cost per head of the defence scheme and time of training, such payment to be spread over the period which they would be liable to serve (1.) Ambulance-work; but objectors not to be oompulsorily attached to any active military force. Efficiency to be determined by examination, and entered in per-sonal-reoord books. (2.) Railway and road formation. Objectors to be mobilized in camps at suitalile season Employment by local authorities not likely to be satisfactory. i?e(l): Distribute text-books in country districts where instructors not available. Annual gatherings to be held at oentrae for instruction purposes, and facilities for attendance as for Territorials extended. Re (2): Sections for formation could be selected in the various areas. At the same time, exorcise in formation-work to be carried out under supervision of selected officers, and personal service entered in record-books. Impossible to provide work. Sincerely sympathizes with the Hon. Minister of Defence in his efforts to equalize the duties of those liable to personal service under tho Defence Act. Thames Timaru No suggestions.. Tuapoka Be equivalently em))loyed on roadwork, and Council will find employment for its local quota and provide suitable supervision as suggested by the Minister. Waimate Yes Question is one for Department's sole control, and regrete in the circumstances its inability to render assistance. Waimea Fatigue duties at camps; and, further, that the services of such as are not required for that purpose be utilized in planting on the waste lands of the Crown. Waipukurau Letter received. Council not favourably impressed with the necessity of providing equivalent service.

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Summary of Replies received in answer to Circular Letter — continued.

Suggestion from Mr. Frank Dexter, " Holmfield," Wanganui East: Re proposed equivalent service being rendered by conscientious objectors to military training : As one specially interested from a religious point of view, being a Cliristadelphian, 1 have noted several suggestions that have been made by local bodies throughout the Dominion, and as to the nature of the work to be imposed. While some are inclined to suggest that the service to be rendered by conscientious objectors should be of the hardest possible nature, others are satisfied to suggest work on behalf of various beautifying societies. As one that has given some consideration to the problem, and looking at it from a national point of view, 1 would respectfully suggest that the labour of conscientious objectors should lie utilized in afforestation. This would give suitable employment to all classes of conscientious objectors, and would also afford scope for the overseers to divide the work according to the capacity of the persons employed. It would also be furthering a much-needed national work.

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Borough or County Counoil. If in favour ot Alternative Service for Religious land Conscientious Objectors. Suggestion. Remarks. Hiakatane ishhurton Objectors' names Ik- furnished to the Council, who will provide roadwork in back-country districts Grubbing of gorse and other noxious weeds on public reserves Council has no sympathy with objectors. Council understanding that the Government would carry into effect further legislation to make the enforcement of such a scheme practically workable. Council will be glad to co-operate in any way in its power to further the smooth and satisfactory working of the Defence Act and its amendments. That camps be formed for this work under the control of some Government official. Council is prepared to find work of the kind suggested for any objectors residing in the Ashburton County. That the Council's Inspector of Reserves would assist such officials by pointing out the extent and location of such work, estimating its value, and in any other way in his power. Payment to be made direct to the Government for value of any work done.