DIVINITY STUDENTS AND DEFENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3970, 13 July 1929, Page 3

DIVINITY STUDENTS AND DEFENCE.

CABINET WILL CONSIDER THEIR CASE NEXT WEEK. Wellington, Yesterday. A definite promise that the whole case of the divinity students, Richards and Miller, would be considered by Cabinet early next week was given by Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister, to-day, in reply to a deputation of Labour members who waited on him. The Hon. Mr. Wilford, Minister of Defence, was pre - sent.

Mr. H. E. Holland, M.'P. for Buller, said he considered it a most deplorable thing that the religious convictions of these boys were not being recognised, and that they were being put in prison and deprived of their civil rights for ten years. It was too late in the history of the world to take up the attitiule that a man should be penalised for his religious convictions. Mr. W. E. Barnard, M.P. (Labour) for Napier, said the law placed rather a severe burden on Magistrates in asking them to judge a man’s conscience. Asked if the warrant for the arrest of the boys could not be held over, the Minister for Justice said he had no power to do that.

Mr. Holland: Eom’ebndy must have the power. Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P. (Labour) for Manakau, asked if the Govern-or-General could not he asked to exercise his power. Sir Joseph Ward: A day or two won’t hurt the boys. Mr. Jordan remarked that it would have been better if Wednesday’s deputation had gone to iSir Joseph in the first place. Sir Joseph replied that it might have been better if he had been [.resent at the first deputation.