LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

Southland Times, Issue 24886, 28 October 1942, Page 4

LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

UNIVERSITY STAFF’S RESOLUTION

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 27. A recent resolution by the Canterbury University College Council, 'that any employee who refused military service on the grounds of conscientious objection should be granted leave, ot absence without pay for the duration of the war, was commented upon in a resolution passed by a meeting of lulltime members of the college lecturing staff received at a meeting of the council today. The resolution was: “That this meeting is profoundly disturbed by the council’s action in introducing the principle of taking into account matters of conscience as. affecting the tenure of university appointments. The principle of liberty of conscience has been recognized by the Government in setting up special tribunals to dea with cases of conscience, and the sta submits that interference with the Uv - lihood of successful appellants tinder the law by bodies other than the Government is a breach of essential democratic rights.” . The rector, Dr H. G. Denham who forwarded the resolution, said the opinion of the meeting was that the council’s resolution reflected very definitely on the loyalty of the staff as a whole. He had not been able to find a case of a single conscientious objector on the permanent staff of the college. Professor A. H. Tocker said there had been a conscientious objector on the staff of the college, and Dr Denham explained that he had not been afu - time member of the staff, but had bee appointed to fill a gap. The council decided to refer the lettei to a college committee.