Maori Objectors
Another reason for objection was that Maori from iwi who had suffered as a result of government policies and they were still bitter about the land confiscations
Maori refused to fight for the British king originally Maori were not allowed to fight for New Zealand due to imperial policy. Little Maori volunteered to go fight for New Zealand and it became a struggle for the native contingent committee to achieve the 150 recruit every month quota. September 1915 and February 1916 only a third of the drafts that sailed were Maori, the rest were majority Niuean’s and Rarotongan’s. Many Maori from the Taranaki and Waikato areas did not want to fight for “King and Country”. The events of the 1860 land confiscations left Maori wondering why they should fight for the brisitsh crown.
Te Puea Herangi was a key historical figure behind Maori Conscientious objection. Te pueas grand father, King Tawhiao had forbidden the Waikato to take up arms when he made peace with the crown in 1881. Te Puea stated that the Waikato had, its own King and didn’t need to fight for the British King. The Native Contingment committee tried to shame Maori into fighting. In June 1917 defense Minister James Allen agreed the extension of conscription to Maori, but decided to apply it only to the Maori in the Waikato and Manuapoto land districts only.
Maori refused to fight for the British king originally Maori were not allowed to fight for New Zealand due to imperial policy. Little Maori volunteered to go fight for New Zealand and it became a struggle for the native contingent committee to achieve the 150 recruit every month quota. September 1915 and February 1916 only a third of the drafts that sailed were Maori, the rest were majority Niuean’s and Rarotongan’s. Many Maori from the Taranaki and Waikato areas did not want to fight for “King and Country”. The events of the 1860 land confiscations left Maori wondering why they should fight for the brisitsh crown.
Te Puea Herangi was a key historical figure behind Maori Conscientious objection. Te pueas grand father, King Tawhiao had forbidden the Waikato to take up arms when he made peace with the crown in 1881. Te Puea stated that the Waikato had, its own King and didn’t need to fight for the British King. The Native Contingment committee tried to shame Maori into fighting. In June 1917 defense Minister James Allen agreed the extension of conscription to Maori, but decided to apply it only to the Maori in the Waikato and Manuapoto land districts only.
Irish Objectors
The third type of conscientious objectors was the Irish Objectors, sometimes the Irish objector was a Christian and socialist but also sometimes neither. Many Irish men in New Zealand objected to military services, their reasons were historical, that they had never been voluntary always compulsory subjects to England.
These Irish Republicans believed they had been suffering under the British rule for seven hundred years of famine, prison, oppression and repression cruel evictions and a country depopulated by misrule.
The Irish were reluctant to serve the British Empire. Key historical figure against conscription was Jim Obrien originally against conscription for socialist and religious ideas but changed his opposition for conscription as the conflict in in Ireland grew.
The Maori and Irish objectors had similar views about refusing to fight, they both believed they had been oppressed by the British crown and should not have to fight their battles for them.
These Irish Republicans believed they had been suffering under the British rule for seven hundred years of famine, prison, oppression and repression cruel evictions and a country depopulated by misrule.
The Irish were reluctant to serve the British Empire. Key historical figure against conscription was Jim Obrien originally against conscription for socialist and religious ideas but changed his opposition for conscription as the conflict in in Ireland grew.
The Maori and Irish objectors had similar views about refusing to fight, they both believed they had been oppressed by the British crown and should not have to fight their battles for them.