NON-MILITARY SERVICE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 349, 9 May 1928, Page 16

NON-MILITARY SERVICE

STUDENTS STATE CASE PRESBYTERY IN QUANDARY “Pacifism is not anti-social. We hold this conviction firmly. Conscientious objectors do nq£ refuse to render their country service; what they do refuse is to it the dis-servico of military training. History proves that, in spite of all the idealism and sacrifice associated with war, its results are invariably evil.” This was the attitude taken up by Messrs. A. M. Richards, A. Miller, A. E. Byrt and J. McDougall, whose applications for exemption from military service on religious grounds were recently refused by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., when they were given an opportunity to state their *ase before a special committee of the Auckland Presbytery last evening. A considered statement had been prepared by the students, who said that because of the immense publicity given their cas© throughout the Dominion many strange statements were being made concerning their beliefs, which they had not had a real chance of setting forth. “It has been alleged against us,” commented the objectors, “that we have refused to do all alternative service. As a matter of fact we have been offered nothing of a non-military character, except participation in the Boy Scout movement, which even if acceptable to the scouts themselves, would have meant an evasion of the point at issue.

“We offered no alternative service because, as students for the ministry, we are fully occupied with service which we feel to be of the highest kind and any alternative must interfere with the service in which we are at present engaged.

“Nevertheless, if exemption from military training were granted, we would be perfectly willing to engage in service of a non-military character, prescribed by the Governor-General-m-Council, on whom, according to law, th© duty of prescribing such service falls.”

decision was announced after two hours discussion in committee.