MASS MEETING OF PROTEST

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23362, 23 June 1941, Page 4

MASS MEETING OF PROTEST

EMPLOYEES OF CITY

COUNCIL

RESENTMENT FELT AT QUESTIONNAIRE

A complaint about what it i called “Fascist and Gestapo methods was embodied In a rcsolution passed yesterday at a meeting of about 200 City Council employees called to a questionnaire which has been sent to each member of the council staff. The questionnaire asks, among other things, the employee’s attdude to war service, his record and liability for war service, and whether he has appealed ag Themeeting resolved to send a deputation of 12 (two to speak) to-to-night s meeting of the City Council to protest against the questionnaire. The resolution, carried unanimously, was as follows:

“This mass meeting of Christchurch , City Council employees strongly resents ..the and distribution of the questionnaire document, and demands its withdrawal immediately. We are prepared to , fight for the principles of democracy but we will never subscribe to the Fascist and Gestapo’ methods shown in the issuing of the document.

In a report issued after the .meeting, which, was not open to the newspapers, it was stated that the,questionnaire was very fully discussed and great resentment was expressed that it had been issued, • It was considered that the task of dealing with a man s attitude to war service was one for the tribunals—the Armed Forces Appeal Boards and the Manpower Committees —appointed by the Government.