MILITARY CHAPLAINS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1605, 23 November 1912, Page 5

MILITARY CHAPLAINS.

... I ■ ' ■ - - - j . A GRIEVANCE VENTILATED. , (By Telegraph.—Presfl Association.} ; •' 'Palmerston . North, November 22. The Wanganui District Methodist Synod discussed' -a matter of interest to the whole Dominion,, affecting the relations ' of the chaplains with the Defenco! Department. 'The Rev.:J. A. Luxford-(chaplain)' has been in correspondence with the'.defence .authorities, regarding; the issue to him, : in common, with other chaplains, of a request to hand in his commission to have certain alterations made relating to. the , duties of the office. The Synod passed tho following resolution hoard the correspondence between, the Eev. J. A. Luxford and the defence, authorities, this Synod' advises our;6enior, chaplain not tohand in his commission for. correction without .assigned reasons as arbitrarily commanded by :tho- O;C.D. until the vhole matter has been discussed by tho forthcoming conference, -for it\views the .order as an y indignity offered, not cnly to Mr. Luxford, but also to the Church which he ; represents." - ' ' . It has Wen-ascertained from the de--1 fence., authorities that thero is'no tton of: friction, but'-merely-that a desire .exists on the part of Mr. Luxford to have tlie matter ventilated and the position definod. • . • - STATEMENT BY THE REV. J. A; • vLUXFORD. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' Wanganui, November, 22. \ In referencei to the Palmerston telegram regarding military. ohaplains, the A. Luxford. states that he has been instructed that as chaplain of 'the Defence Force he dees not hold rank, although both h|s ,M#'rnis^oA''-a.nd 'his' 1 South Africflh. medar'ac&oWledge , the;'fanlct''lle insists f that thiß'action of tho 'Defence Department: i§ ultra vires, because Section 9, I'art I, of the Defence Act conserves 'the ; rant to all officers of the late; volunteer, companies. ; :