MARIST BROTHERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3140, 19 July 1917, Page 7

MARIST BROTHERS

«. AND MILITARY SERVICE SHOULD THEY BE EXEMPTED? Very strong opinions wore most emphatically expressed by Mr. W. Nosworthy in tho House of Representatives yesterday on the subject of the exemption of Marist Brothers from military service. He ■condemned the attitudo of the Eornaoi Catholic Church in claiming exemption for these men, while other teachers had to go to the war. Whilo all other churohos had como to the aid of tho Empire this church had not done its duty. There was "a big trouble" in tho country about this question, and there would bo "a bigger hum" unless tho Government did something very quickly. Tho great majority of the people or this country felt very strongly that those men should not bo allowed to evade military service. Sir James Allen, said that for tho present the .question, was left for decision by tho Military Service Boards, some of which had given exemption to Marist Brothers. Tho Government had never influenced the boards in any way on this question. Tho Minister of Munitions had given certificates in respect of certain clorgv, but none of these certificates had ever been given for Marist Brothers. Theso men wore in a peculiar .position. They were (bound to celibacy. They came to New Zealand from abroad, and hioro could not como while the war lasted. They received no pay for the work to which they devoted their lives. Tho Government took up tho position that it did not wish to see any public school.

or oven any private school, so depicted of teachers that it would havo to close dowu. It should be remembered, too, that all tho cases of these Marist Brothers would-be reconsidered before the Second Division was called up. It was possible that tho House would have an opportunity of dealine with the situation this session, and it would be for the Houso ■to decide. Meanwhile the Government was carrying out tho instructions of the House as contained in the Military Servioe Act, and was. doing its best to carry them out faithfully. Mr. M'Callum: How many of these men are there? Sir James Allen: Not very many of them; about forty, I think. Mr. M'Callum: Thirty-throo.