EXEMPTION FROM MILI "TARY SERVICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1923, Page 3

EXEMPTION FROM MILI "TARY SERVICE.

APPLICATION KKiaSLI). AUCKLAND, July 18 "Why not let him serve in the Ambulance Corps?” asked -Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., of a father, who appeared at the -Magistrate’s Court today in support of his son’s application for exemption from military training on religious grounds. "Because he would he assisting the military,” replied the father. And you wouldn’t help a wounded soldier as he lay bleeding on the field? —Not in so far as it comes under the military authorities. It would he helping the man in uniform. You are bringing your boy up in a very had way. Christ did not distin-

guish between a soldier and a civilian He helped both. If you saw your wife ' being violated by a foreign soldier, would you take an axe and cut oil the fellow’s head?—l believe we are in Cod’s hands. Captain Redmond, who appeared for the Defence Department, asked if the father had not himself been a volunteer years ago.

"Yes,” replied the father. “But that was before you saw the light,” suggested the Magistrate. (Laughter). It was an attitude contrary to law, continued the .Magistrate. Young men were not compelled to handle arms if they served in the Aledieal Corps. They bore stretchers, and rendered succour to the dying and wounded. It was an unreasonable attitude to adopt.

"Do 1 understand it is useless my proceeding, sir?" asked Mr Hanna, who represented the applicant. Mr Boynton intimated that lie had his mind made tip on the matter. Our militarism was not aggressive ; it was purely defensive. When a man said he would not help a soldier wounded in the defence of his country, then thiit man was subscribing to a belief that was injurious to the community. It would never do to encourage such a view. If a young man objected to fighting he could help the wounded, and follow the teaching of Christ. According to the New Testament, there wtis neither Jew nor (.’entile. All were brothers. To refuse to help a uniformed man was anti-social, and therefore wrong. It was fanaticism and irrationalism, "f won’t grant exemption, ft is entirely at it Magistrate's discretion to do so, but I don’t think it is possible to reconcile this slaud|M>int with common-sense.” In explaining the reason for the application, Mr Hanna said the applicant belonged to a religions body known to the military authorities as "The Testimony of Jesus.” The body had no name otherwise, but it was world-wide in membership, and its tenets had been subscribed to for centuries. Those of this denomination believed that those who lived by the sword would perish bv the sword, and that to undergo military training was contrary to tho teaching of Jesus Christ.