MILITARY TRAINING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 296, 11 June 1912, Page 3

MILITARY TRAINING

• AND THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. ! . . 1 ; ' NO ALTERNATIVE'CAN BE SUGGESTED. 1 'Auckland, June 7. At the annual conference of the Society of Friends held , in Christchurch fxom May 11 to 16, i 912, the question of compulsory military training was brought up for discussion and the attiture of the Friends rn }\cw Zealand towards what is now the law of the country received very careful examination from various points of view. When a deputation waited upon the Prime Minister in Auckland in 'April .last he asked that the representatives .of -the Society of Friends then present, 6ther than the body would make a statement setting •forth what services they woilld be willinng to render to the State in lieu of compulsory military • training. This question was put before, the the conference and the following extract from the minutes of that meeting has been sent to the Prime Minister in reply: "This meeting concludes that it is their duty and privilege of Friends to declare afresh their unwavering adhesion to the principles of peace as they have been held by our society for over two hundred years, after careful deliberation they see no other way of consistently upholding their testimony than by declining to undertake any duty that will bring them under military control; or the operation of the defence Act; nor can, thpy define any alternative duties ,that, whilst meeting the consciences of some, may violate , those of others."'