RELEASES FROM ARMED FORCES

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 284, 30 August 1945, Page 8

RELEASES FROM ARMED FORCES

More Expedition Urged LABOUR FOR FARM WORK

The speedy release of men from the armed forces, particularly those required for urimarv production and other essential industries, was urged by several Opposition speakers during the Imprest Supply Bill debate in the House of Representatives jesterday. Complaint was made of unnecessary delays and obstruction in dealing with representations to have such men released. Air. I‘OLSON (N.. Stratford) referred to a case of a soldier on leave who applied for permission to take over the taxi business of his father, who had been taken seriously ill, but. instead lie was directed to work on a farm, though ,he bad never bud liny farming experience in his life. Now that hostilities had ended tlie manpower authorities were in peacetime coercing men away from their . lawful occupations and into any occupation that pleased th el T n - Ihe Munster of Manpower, Air. AlcLagan, lurked in another place and he could not be " jlr* FRASER (Prime Alinister) said lie thought that Air. Polson was fully justified in bringing the matter up. but he did not think he was justified in, using it to make an, attack on the Aliuister of Manpower." If the facts were correct there was room for protest. It the personal liberty of the, person concerned and his future living was at stake then the matter was one to be dealt with seriously. Did the member fur Stratford hold the Alinister responsible for the act of every ytticial? Ihe Minister’s office was in Parliament Buildings. and if Air. Polson wauled to help the man be could have got in touch with the Alinister. If the facts were as the member for Stratford stated he would uot have wasted any time betore having it adjusted. It was necessary to have some power in regard to tue key industries of the country a little longer. The Minister of Alanpower had done a very good job and never a better one than when he and his department got down to removing the controls. There would be people who would uot interpret the mind of the Alinister aud who would abuse the power they had. “Gigantic Expenditure.”

“When are these camps going to be broken up and how long is this gigantic expenditure going to continue,” asked Air. BODKIN (N,, Central Otago). He added that any representations he had made to the army were always fully investigated. and even if the army could not go as far as he wished in meeting him, it always went, as far as it could. With the air force it was au entirely different story. The unsuccessful efforts of a returned man of the last war to have his son released from' the air force was cited t>y Air. BODKIN. He said this man was ou a high-producing farm at Middlemarch, which he was working under great difficulties. He had permitted his son to go to camp when he was 18 years of age. and he hud been in camp iu New Zealand for four years. The father had broken down in health, and in Julj’ had appealed to the Armed Forces Appeal Board to have the boy released for work on the farm, but the appeal had been declined, the board probably believing that the manpower authorities could supply a man for the farm. He had no complaint against the decision of the board. On the cessation of hostilities, however, he (Air. Bodkin) had made a request to have the boy released, but the reply was that the request for the, release of the boy would be considered in its, turn, but that no indication could be given as to when that would be. Every effort should be made bv the defence authorities to release as quickly as possible every mail possible so that the country could get on with the production of the foodstuffs required by Great Britain. He was satisfied that if this case had been one for the army authorities he would have received satisfaction. “The Minister will have to take off the gloves to the heads of the air force if men are to be released as expeditiously as they are required,” said Air. BODKIN. “It is high time the whole question was thrashed cut by this House which should lav down the policy to be adopted.” Mr. SIIEAT (N.. I’atea), said that needless delay was occurring in connexion with the release of meu urgently required for production or for businesses ancillary to production. AVheu representations were made for releases, now that the war was over there should be a speedy decision. There was gross inefficiency somewhere and it was time some of tliose delaying demobilization were rooted out. The Prime Alinister should have a look nt the ramifications of some of the departments concerned and give an assurance that unnecessary delays would not occur.

LETTER CLEARANCES Delay Caused To Mails

From Suburbs An inquiry as to when lhe midnight clearance of suburban letter boxes would bo reverted to was made by Mr. BOWDEX (X., Wellington West) in notice of a question to the Postmaster-General. Mr. Jones. lie said that the wartime 10 a.m. clear--mice, so far us Wellington was concerned, involved a full day's delay in city and suburban deliveries and in mails to llawke'H Bay, Taranaki and main trunk towns, and the airmail to the south.

PRINTING OF LABOUR PAMPHLETS Breach Of Regulations Alleged "If this is not mi instance of Tnmniany Hall Government in this country then T do not understand tlie meaning of the word,” said Mr. MORTON (X., Waitemata) in the House of Representatives last night in referring to the fact that while several persons had been fined for publishing pamphlets without the consent of the Factory Controller, Labour propaganda pamphlets bad been allowed 'to be circulated which did not bear the consent number.

Regulations had been passed in October, 1942, necessitating tlie consent of the factory controller before catalogues or pamphlets could be printed, and th.* number of the consent order must tipnear on them. One man in Willington had been fined £12.5 for this offence. That particular regulation had not been revoked. yet a pamphlet had been issued under the name of the secretary of the Labour Party. Mr. Moohan. entitled. "Is Xew Zealand .Wrecked?" which did not curry the consent number.

One would have thought that in a country like this Tammany Hall could not exist, hut Mr. Moohan bad not obtained the consent of the factory controller for his pamphlet as il did not bear the consent number ns required by law. The pamphlet was one of the most abusive over issued about a public num. It was mi attack on the Leader of the Opposition who at the time was thousands of miles overseas and could not _ reply. Why was it that tlie “Standard” wits- not prosecuted for printing the pamphlet mid thus committing a gross breach of the law? . Another Labour propaganda pamphlet, tlie Birkenhead Bulletin, had been published in his electorate, which also did not carry a consent number.