"FUNK HOLES"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 138, 13 June 1941, Page 6

"FUNK HOLES"

WAR SERVICE ESCAPE

MANY EXCUSES "ATROCIOUS"

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

Agreeing that Quakers and those who were honestly troubled by conscience had a right to be considered, Mr. Doidge (National. Tauranga), claimed in tne House of Representatives last night when speaking in the Imprest Supply Bill debate that the trouble was that there were hundreds who were making conscience an excuse to escape military service.

Mr. Doidge said he had been told on most reliable authority that out of hundreds of cases of appeals on the ground of conscientious objection which came before the Armed Forces Appeal Board in Wellington anything between 60 *to 70 per cent were young able bodied men employed in the civil service or employed as school teachers. In one day last week there had been four cases in succession. Many of the excuses put up were simply atrocious. It was clear that many of the appellants were liars or hunibngs. Alany of these men, continued Mr. Doidge. must be regarded as potential fifth columnists. They were n \., cy - P os 'tions in the civil service. It is clear that the Government service is full of funk holes for these particular people and thev have eot to be combed out," ddded Mr Doidge.

Referring to appeals heard by the Armed Forces Appeal Board the -Minister of Justice. Mr. Mason said they were judicial bodies and when they gave their decisions after hear- , i e evidence surelv thev should have those decisions given effect to. Surely it was inconsistent to suggest that the Government should punish those whose status had been established legally, properly and judicially. 1