IMPRESSMENT OF VEHICLES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23315, 29 April 1941, Page 8

IMPRESSMENT OF VEHICLES

NO VETO BY MINISTER ! ‘ , '* s f, • i-J*. MR SEMPLE REFUSES TO,' INTERFERE A declaration that he would veto the decision of any transport v authority on the impressment of motor ; vehicles for military service was made ■* yesterday by the Minister for Natioflal Service (the Hon. R. Semple). The v Christchurch Drainage Board asked, .‘j for the Minister’s assistance to haves heavy duty motor-cycle used by its | foreman released from impressment, g but, only because the full reasons hail S not been given on appeal, Mr Semple ■ consented to ask the Transport Au thority (Mr T. H. Langford) to dis- i cuss the impressment further with ms board’s officials. , "I want the board to understand, thoroughly that I do not interfere with the judgments of tribunals appointed to deal with impressments, MT Semple said. “If I started to veto the decisions of Appeal Boards, it would j make impressment ineffective. . » j would possibly make the Minister rmi* culous if he took upon himself me responsibility of giving decisions, an» having denied himself the right-w listen to the full story. If the appeal were made in writing, I could not w certain that I would give a ]ust oe- | cision. Cross-examination and qu«»: g tioning help to make judgment, andj would be imposing a wrong if IJiWsg on written statements. I, would placing myself in an invidious P tion—and I am not going to do ii| . am always afraid unless an apptw comes to me in a constitutional man ner. Mr Langford’s decision case stands until he alters it him*, I won’t alter it. . . c v*, n “This impressment business has a very difficult and very unpleasant task, but it has had to he d°% the imposition of the black-oU coastal towns. We are entrusted to w these things for the safety, of people, and if we disobey the ad of the service chiefs, the nation w be justified, if anything happene , trying the Government for I Whether or not embarrass | people, we have to put up with ■ fices more than ever We are We should thank God we are Wing here, and keep on thanking Go .jg we are as safe as we are. 9 ur „Hv, the are infinitesimal compared witn difficulties confronting those in parts of the world. T ,ni»ford “I will have a talk to Mr about this. We do not want. to_P g up industry or cause obstruct oi V ■ a friendly word can help, twill it, but my answer to a veto is ‘No’.” , V-jwp" Replying to a suggestion Semple that a small truck couldyw obtained to replace the motor-cJW and side-car, carrying dram-cie a lffi equipment, the board’s C. F. Champion) said that no vehicle was available from the of which he had made mq u > ri eS- t o cycle could go across paddocks . sewers and drains, and, when bogs * could be extricated by one man.