THE DEFENCE ACT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10618, 25 April 1912, Page 5

THE DEFENCE ACT

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER., ■■■ •■■V; (Bx Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Last-Night. To-day a deputation, (representing tlio organisations opposed to the Defence Act, waited on tho Prime Minister acid. Mr Myers (Minister for Defence). liv reply to the deputation, the Premier said that as the Act had been (passed 'by Parliament, t&iey wer'e Kthere- tio carry oirt the law. He sympaibbiseu with those who, for conGckntious ecrupl.eei, had. been imprisoned. When the Act was .passed, it iwas not contemplated that imprisonment would follow a civil action. It was all very, well for the members of the deputation to urge the Government to-cease defence work. If other nations did so, it would be all right, •but while rflhey did not do so, defence J was, necessary. The Premier asked A they had any suggestions to offer as to.what they were prepared todio, in lieu of the ibmw others were giving for the defence of the country. When the (House met the Xiad no dioubt'that the subject would he again gone .into, with a. view to dealing ki a different manner wMi'tne question of punishment. A member of the deputation- undertook, at Aho request of the Prenwei', to have put in concrete form what service conscientious objectors would Me prepared to give ito- the State in lieu of military .training.