Vital Declaration

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 80, 20 September 1912, Page 7

Vital Declaration

WHEREAS THE DEFENCE ACT, 1909, AND ITS AMENDMENT, 1910: 1. Introduces into this Dominion the principle of conscription (i.e., compulsory enrolment for military service), which has proved the curse of Europe; 2. Introduces military law and courts-martial in time of peace—courts so constituted as to be directly opposed to the spirit and substance of common law and to the spirit and substance of the British Constitution, from which courts there is no appeal; 3. Violates freedom of conscience in basing the claim for exemption on doctrinal and not conscientious grounds; 4; Ignores parental authority and makes criminals of children and young men who have done no wrong. (For the offence of non-registration the penalty is life-long. It includes the loss of political rights and of all hope cf employment in any Government department, and is expiated by neither fine nor imprisonment); 5. While professing to provide for the defence of this country, invites members of the Territorial Foroee (youths in some cases only 18 years of age) to volunteer, in time of peace, to serve abroad at any time during a stated period and on acceptance oftheir offer gives the Governor power to order them on foreign service—thus possibly forcing a man to participate in a war which his conscience condemns, as a result of a promise rashly made in immature youtli; 6. Will certainly increase the burden of taxation' until it becemes, as it is in Europe, intolerable. (As a matter of fact, the Defence vote is already approximating the vote for Education); 7. Will have the effect of implanting and cultivating the war spirit in the ininds of our youtli; 8. Is antagonistic to the growing peace spirit of the age, which is making for the recognition of the brotherhood of man; 9. Will inevitably tend to a demand iov an increased term of military service and for residence in barracks or camps, which must hay has been universally proved—a demoralising ef« feet upon the nation; 10. Will cause serious interference with the youths' opportunities for technical arid higher education; 11. Confers powers upon the military authorities which are absolutely destructive of all deniocratio institutions and civic freedom; 12. Necessitates the pwienpe in Wei-