Reforms To Co. Law Proposed

Over a hundred students attended the S.C.M. seminar on Conscientious Objection at Otaki last weekend.

The Minister of Defence, Mr. Thomson, spoke on the history of Conscientious Objectors in New Zealand and Professor McCready outlined his personal experiences as a CO. in W.W.I.

He showed the grounds which were acceptable for objection then and discussed the detention camps to which those who refused to take part in war were held.

Gale Bowling, an Australian Quaker, outlined the difference between CO. in New Zealand and Australia.

At the end of the seminar a forum was held at which the following recommendations were made:

That:

• The members of the CO. committee hold office for a term of five vears rather than at the Minister's pleasure.

• Appeals should be allowed.

• Adjournment should be allowed so that applicants can reconsider their beliefs.

• That the CO. committee should report to Parliament.

• That hearings should be public and registration advertisements should advise of the rights of a CO.

These recommendations were largely the outcome of a paper presented by Graham Taylor, lecturer in law at V.U.W., in which he suggested reforms to the CO. procedure in New Zealand.