Search For Military Defaulters Continuing

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 16

Search For Military Defaulters Continuing

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 22.

The Labour Department had instructions not to stop searching for military defaulters until they had found the 2000 young men the Government estimates are defaulting, the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) told a committee of the National Party conference today. The committee was considering a remit that the Government consider methods of enforcing the law whereby 20-year-old youths must enrol for military training. Mr Shand said the Labour Department had the task of enrolling the youths because it had the organisation and experience. It was continually checking, day to day and week to week.

Employers’ payrolls were checked, but “blitzes” in some parts of the country had not been very productive. A check of university rolls had shown that the defaulters were, not there. What seemed to be happening was that a lot of youngsters were giving employers ages higher than their real ages and their em-

ployers erroneously thought they were over 21. It would help if employers had “a real go” through their books to seek defaulters. The committee decided to send the remit to the full conference.

The committee approved also a remit that, in view of the very apparent inadequacy of the armed services in equipment and manpower as disclosed by the Minister of Defence in a recent statement, and because of the isolated position of New Zealand. the Government be urged to allocate a greater percentage of the national income to defence. The Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) said he approved the remit, but pointed out “hat since it had been put forward the defence vote had been raised from £28.8 million to £30.8 million and it would be raised to £43 million in the next five years, principally for equipment.

He denied that the services were ill-equipped. Although they did not have enough equipment, the equipment was modem.

Speakers for the remit said it was needed to strengthen the Government’s hand. They recalled New Zealand’s responsibilities under various international defence agreements and said New Zealand was not invulnerable.