DEFAULTERS AND OBJECTORS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24370, 23 September 1944, Page 3

DEFAULTERS AND OBJECTORS

REFERENCE IN THE HOUSE

(From Our' Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. September 22. Reference to the position of military defaulters and petitions before the House of Representatives were made during the discussion of the National Service Department vote last evening. Mr T. L. Macdonald (Opposition, Mathura) said there was some confusion in the public mind between military defaulters and conscientious objectors. Defaulters were men whose claims for exemption had not been upheld. There were petitions for the release of defaulters, but he hoped defaulters would not be released or conscientious objectors relieved from their present direction till all servicemen were home. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) said it might be that better service could be got out of defaulters, and it might be that the position would have to be reviewed. In Britain there was an appellate tribunal, and defaulters there were sent into industry after serving a definite sentence. However, there were many different factors, in Britain. No matter how harshly some people might think defaulters had been treated in New Zealand, they could not get away from the fact that at least they were not liable to be shot, bayonetted, or blown to bits by an enemy shell. There might be some cases of young men under outside influences /hich should be examined. It was quite clear that if military defaulters had not been detained it would have led at one time, though possibly not now, to a considerable amount of public concern. Mr Macdonald said he had noticed how men’s love of New Zealand increased when they left the country. He suggested that defaulters, many of whom had a mistaken sense of martyrdom, should be sent to camps in the Pacific, where they could do useful work on roads and aerodromes, would learn to love their country, and would be away from the enervating influence of others. Mr Macdonald said he had not had time to study the report of the department. but he noticed that 1200 appeals on conscientious grounds had been dismissed and that there were only 600 men in defaulters’ camps. Mr Fraser replied that some of the appellants had found that their consciences were not as stable asfhey had supposed, and had joined the forces Mr Fraser said there were about 600 military defaulters in camps. Twentyfive had escaped and were still at large. There were also approximately 600 conscientious objectors who were subject to direction.