COMPULSORY TRAINING

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1929, Page 6

COMPULSORY TRAINING

REPEAL OF ACT URGED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

TIMARU, August 6

The question of military training and ednseientous objectors was the Subject of a long discussion to-day at the meeting of the Timaru Presbytery. This was taken in committee, but the attitude of the Presbytery was indicated in a motion which ’ was carried unanimously, and released for publication. The motion was as follows: “The presbytery of Timaru hereby resolves that in the matter of military training and all other public service and relations to the State, it bo respectfully pointed out that the Presbyterian Church has always stood arid still stands emphatically, for the rights of individual conscience. The Presbytery -therefore supports the Assembly’. l ; Pulblic Questions Committee in its appeal:—(l) That exemption be granted all persons whose conscientious objections to military service are certified by trustworthy witnesses without discrimination between denominations' (2) That alternative non-military service should be .prescribed as provided by the Act. (3) That in . view of the admission that the penalties imposed on Richards and Miller rested ' oti unduly harsh interpretation of .the Act, the Governor-General be respectfully approached with a view to the exercise of his prerogative in reviewing the sentences. The Rresbytery furthermore emphasises the loyalty, of the church and dissociates itself from any claim that' ;any .particular servant of member of the chucrli should be exempted from miltary service, except upon the ground of their individual eoncsicntious objections.” A further motion, moved by the Rev. P. G. Hughes, and also carried unanimously was “that the Presbyt.eiy urges upon the Assembly’s Public. Questions Committee the desirability of appealing to all members and adherents of the Presbyterian Church--to use every constitutional means to secure a repeal of the compulsory clauses of the Defence Act, on the grounds that compulsory military training is (a) contrary to the whole trend of BHtisli sentiment and policy; (b) that it fosters and encourages a spirit which lias 1; already brought civilisation to' the Very .verge of destruction and (c) opposed to the church’s ! deeper understanding of- the miner and spirit of Christ. Speaking to the second motion, the Rev. Hughes. made a sweeping condemnation pf the military training system, iii the course of which he described it futile” and a “waste of'iime arid money.”

His“-vie‘wfi*'wei;e sitppQrted by the Moderator JRevJ H. P.' Fell) who declared that, the . present system of territorial training was absolutely no use in agfipfil.-.warfare. He spoke from personal experience;, having been on active service.

ENDORSED BY SOUTHLAND PRESBYTERY.

INVERCARGILL, August 6

The" Southland. Presbytery to-day adopted the following resolution:— “That this Presbytery is of the opinion that the sentences imposed by the Magistrate, Mr H. H. Hunt, on the young men Rickards and Miller are, in view of the question of conscience involved, excessive. The Presbytery, therefore gives its\ hearty support to the action of the Assembly’s Public Questions Committee in requesting that the sentences he reviewed.”