ANTI-MILITARIST MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1202, 10 August 1911, Page 5

ANTI-MILITARIST MEETING.

(Bj Telceranh.-Prcss Association.! \

Auckland, August 8. A public meeting called by the Auckland Anti-militarist Council was held tonight Mr. J. E. Taylor; president of the Auckland branch of the International Arbitration and Peace Society, presiding. Speeches were made by the chairman and Messrs. H.. Corder (of H. Scott Bennett, J. Morris, and H. P. Wise (secretary of the Auckland branch of the .council). All tho speakers condomned the Defence Act, which was doscribed ds an abominable infringement or tho right of the people to act in accordunco with their consciences, and as an unjustifiable measure in its interference with liberty.' Mr. Scott-Bennett said ha was convinced that if the principles of the Act were referred to a referendum they would be rejected by an overwhelming majority. The meeting unanimously adopted a resolution affirming the objects of tho council (the opposition in every peaceable way of tho compulsion upon youths to undergo'training). Another resolution, carried in silence, embodied the meeting's recognition of tho ability and sincerity of tiio late Mr. T. 13. Taylor, as a valiant reformer,-in his opposition to the gift of the Dreadnought, and to tho Boer war, and tho spirit of militarism generally, and deplored hi» death as a public calamity.