Military Objectors Pay Fines to Court

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 718, 18 July 1929, Page 9

Military Objectors Pay Fines to Court

REFUSAL TO DRILL EXEMPTIONS APPLIED FOR The two Presbyterian divinity students, Alan Morgan Richards and Alexander Miller, both paid yesterday the fines of £■ 5 inflicted on them for refusing to carry out military training. The two young men have also made application for exemption from drill.

O N June 12 they appeared tn court together, and were offered, as an alternative to military training, the right to work for three weeks in the Auckland Hospital. This offer was refused, and they were each fined JES and deprived of their civil rights for 10 years. On the same day, three young men of the Seventh Day Adventist faith accepted alternative service, and were granted exemption. Miller and Richards refused to pay the fines, and warrants for their committal were issued on June 22. These were held while an appeal was made by the Public Questions Committee of the Presbyterian General Assembly to the Minister for Justice, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, who, however, refused to intervene, considering that the two men were not acting on conscientious grounds. Later, members of the Labour Party interviewed the Prime Minister, and Sir Joseph Ward promised that Cabinet should consider the matter. Cabinet decided to amend the law’ to enable divinity students to obtain exemption, but refused to reverse the magistrate's decision, or to lessen the penalty inflicted.

RESTORATION REFUSED

NO CIVIL RIGHTS FOR OBJECTORS Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Replying to a question in the House today the Minister of Justice, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, said he could not accede to a request to restore the civil rights of two students of religion who were conscientiously opposed to military service and who were recently deprived of their civil rights for ten years by an Auckland magistrate.