CAMPS FOR WAR DEFAULTERS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23482, 10 November 1941, Page 6

CAMPS FOR WAR DEFAULTERS

COMMITTALS NOW POSSIBLE

PROCEDURE DRAWN UP

(PS.S.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 9. Magistrates will be in a position this week to make the first orders .committing war service objectors to defaulters’ .camps. - It is understood that those considered to be genu me on religious, ethical, or political B r °unds will be committed to the A a « P hefne Rotorua, and these regarded as being not genuine will be sent to the ™o isolated camp. A numbei of 1 / en in detention at Trentham camp who will have to be dealt with to permit of their committal to one or other of the defaulters’ camps. A procedure has been drawn up ioi dealing with objectors, successful an unsuccessful, and defaulters. An important provision—it being recognised that the Army cannot yet find jobs for all men whose appeals were dismissed subject to non-combatant duties —is for one-man tribunals to deal with these men in the meantime in the same way as successful objectors, by the making of such orders as thenposition warrants. Successful objectors before aimed forces appeal boards are exempted from war service and cannot be called up for the armed forces. They can be called on. however, for national service. The function of the one-man tribunals is to ensure that the financial position of the exempted objector is not better than it would be if he were in the armed forces. This will involve the making of an order requiring the objector to pay something from his earnings direct to the secretary of the manpower committee for the district or into a special bank account. Such orders will not absolve an employer from payment of the full wages to an objector employee. Investigations Made Manpower committee officials have been carrying cut investigations for some time into the position of objectors who will appear before the tribunals. The results of these inquiries will be presented to the tribunals to assist them in their work. Besides determining what financial sacrifice successful objectors will make, if any, the tribunals will decide whether they will remain in their present employment or transfer to other work. In the event of a transfer being decided on, the employer in the industry or calling concerned will not be* compelled to take such an objector; the arrangement is to be entirely voluntary. Men whose appeals have been dismissed subject to non-combatant service will be dealt with in the same way as successful objectors till such time as the Army can find a place for them. Meantime they must obey any order given them by the Army authorities, such as to parade for medical examination. Failure to do so will make them defaulters. Objectors whose appeals have been dismissed unconditionally. and defaulters will not ceme before the one-man tribunals. As far as can be ascertained, there is no intention at present of the proceedings of the tribunals being open to the press, or of details of their findings being released. It is likely, however, that a list of the cases dealt with will be made available. Magistrate’s Discretion Starting this week, a magistrate may commit an offender to gaol or to a detention camp, according to the view he takes of the reasons for objection to service. If a man is gaoled then at the end of his sentence he will be taken into custody by the Army authorities. There are a number of these men now at Trentham camp, where special detention accommodation is being erected. The men are given an order such as to be medically examined or to parade for equipment. Where there is a refusal the man can either be sent back to the civil courts or dealt with by court-martial. This, it is understood, will depend on the view taken as to the sincerity of the objector's views. .The camps themselves are in isolated positions. There will be no leave or pay except good conduct pay such as is allowed in civil prisons (Is a day). Conditions will approximate to those of prison camps. Allowances to dependants will be the same as those of prisoners’ dependants. The Minister has power to release a man from a detention camp if he considers his services in his former employment, or other work, itocessary in the public interest. Such a step will be taken in conjunction with the tribunals, and any person so released will be required to make a similar sacrifice to successful objectors.