A PASSIVE RESISTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10607, 13 April 1912, Page 4

A PASSIVE RESISTER.

I The point raised by the young man r-Pauling, -who was charged in the Mag- ; Lstrate's Court, at Masterton with foiling to take the oath of allegiance, is inovel, if not convincing. The lad stated that he was willing to serve his-•country as a Volunteer. Indeed, he;had done so already. . He .objected, however, ito take the bath of allegiance unxle'r>a compulsory system. This yoking man is to be admired for his <»urage/aitdt'hie Jloyalty,. and' if-there, were,inore\of his sort in, the Dtohiihion there would been no necesisiity for a law of compulsion. Unfortunately, however, there are hundreds of youths who do not recognise it as part »cf their duty to be prepared to defend the heairths and homes of their tfamiilies. It i© these whom the law was meant to capture. If a young fellow is willing to serve as a Volunteer, he ehould have no compunction about talcing the oath under the existing Act, for he moist realise that any sacrifice of dignity and principle he may make is in the interests c-f himself as well as of the country. There are scores of parents who send their children to school as a duty. There are others Who would evade their responsibility were- it not that attendance at school is made compulsory. So it is in the matter of defence.