MILITARY TRAINING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 79, 23 September 1911, Page 7

MILITARY TRAINING.

QUAKERS' ATTITUDE. NUMBERS PREPARED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. Auckland, September 20. 'Mr, Isitt's utterance in the House on the subject of Quakers and military training was referred by a reporter to Mr. ,). Morris, president of the Auckland anti-militarist council, and a prominent member of the Society of Friends.

Mr. Morris said that though Mr. Tsitt had voiced his own views on the question, he had not quite correctly expressed the attitude of tint Society of Friends towards military training. They bad conscientious scruples regarding war and war service which were insurmountable. Not only did they object to bearing arms, but they also refused to perform transport or ambulance, work, as by so doing they would be freeing others to become combatants and take their places in the fighting line. They would make no . concession whatever in this respect, as their religious convictions would not allow them to engage in any kind of military duty, direct or indirect, and this decision was final. Personally, he knew numbers of Quakers who were ready to leave the Dominion at the shortest notice rather than conform to the existing requirements of the defence scheme. It would be a grievous thing if New Zealand were deprived of members of a body with such noble antecedents, and one which' stood for qualities which were only too rare in the community. As a whole, they had made up their minds, and while they were perfectly ready to perform any civil duty which the Government might require of them, they would not consent to bear arms or to assist in military operations in any capacity.

Speaking for the anfi-militant council, Mr. Morris said that its members were unanimous in supporting the Quakers, while the Peace .Society took up a similar attitude. They considered the scheme as injurious to the moral welfare of young men, and they also had doubts as to its practical efficacy, being of the opinion that any defence scheme should be naval rather than military. They agreed with the Quakers that any violation of conscientious scruples was unjust, and should be strenuously opposed.