Salvation Army Meeting.

Manawatu Herald, 31 August 1893, Page 2

Salvation Army Meeting.

In compliance) with an advertisement appearing in Tuesday night's Manawatc HkraijH, a veiy fair nu nber of the townspeople attenled th • indignation meeting in the Salvation Army Barracks.

Lieutenant Warnes opened the meeting with a hymn and then called iipjn Mi' Thynno to take the ohair.

Mi 1 Thynne said he was glad to oblige tin officers of the Salvation Army by taking the chair, and he desired that both siile<s to the question should bo" heard. The Army believed that one of the officers hul been hardly dealt by, bat if it was not so it was evident the by-law referred to at Milton was not a satisfactory one.

Lieutenant Warnes in a few words moved the foilowing resolution, " That this meeting of the citizens of Foxton learns with regret and expresses its great indignation at the extreme sentence of £3 fine or one month's imprisonment with hard labour passed upon Captain James Kerr of the Salvation Army by Mr Hawkins, R.M., August 19th, for playing a cornet in the streets of Milton without the consent of the Council, and desires the Minister of Justice to cancel such an unjust and severe conviction.

This meeting is of the opinion that the action of playing a cornet is perfectly legal and in harmony with the rights of citizenship, and the Salvation Army should be allowed to play its music without hindrance, the same as volunteer Bands and the various Lodges, who procession and play music in the streets. It also calls upon the local member of the House of Representatives to convey this resolution to the Minister of Justice."

Mr Grindley rose to second the resolution. He said it was but right the whole facts should be laid before the meeting, and so read the sub -leader in last night's Post. He remarked that it was a curious bylaw, and the effect of leaving the decision as to what music might be played in public to members of Borough Councils might not work very happily. It was evident that the people of Milton did not object to music as the by-law gave power to the Council to permit it, and it therefore became a question why the by-law was framed. He arrived at the conclusion that it was passed solely against the Salvation Army, and that he did not consider right. The by-law did not secure the peaoe and quietuess of the town as it was only direoted to musical instrumens being played in the streets, therefore any person would be perfectly justified in playing

a cornet in a yard adjoining a street. Captain Kerr had broken the law, but as the by-law was a bud one, he may have been rightly punished, bufc he had been right in breaking it to give publicity to the fact He was against nriy such by-laWj and gladly/ seconded the resolution. (Applause.) - Mr Howau desired to say how glad he was that this town possessed members of the Borough Council who knew better than to pass such unfair by laws. He objected to the action of the Milton Borough Council and was glad to assist in carrying the resolution" proposed.

The Chairman then put the resolution which he declared carried unanimously.

A vote of thanks was passed with acclamation to the Chairman, who, in returning thanks, took the opportunity of speaking against the obnoxious by-law. He said he believed that we were governed too much in our individual actions, and there would be no telling how far our liberty might be restricted if local bodies commenced making such extiaordinary regulations. He thought the by-law was aimed at the Salvation Army, as it bore a conspicuonsimilarity to the Eastbourne (England) by-law, which occasioned so much trouble for months in that town, until the Supreme Court declared it to be illegal. There were other denominations who attracted worshippers by sound, and to be in keeping Milton should prohibit church bells being rung, He thought the by-law had been wrongfully broken, but as the resolution referred to tho by-law, he was in favour of it.

The Chairman further desired to state that His Worship the Mayor had been asked to take the chair that evening, but owing to suffering from a cold was unable to attend. He (tho chairman) therefore had taken th? position, at the last moment, in his place.

The meeting was then declared closed