DETENTION CAMPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 31, 5 August 1943, Page 7

DETENTION CAMPS

THEIR ADMINISTRATION

MINISTER'S DEFENCE

"There have been numerous communications to the Press on the subject of the detention camps, many of which apparently have been published, irrespective of the facts, without prior reference to myself or the Department concerned, and with the object of discrediting the administration of the camps." stated the Minister of Justice (Mr. Mason) in the House of Representatives yesterday in reply to a question asked some time ago by Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford), who had inquired whether statements made by an overseer of a military defaulters' camp at Shannon were correct.

"It is obvious," said tlie Minister, "that these communications have been part of a campaign to gain release for the defaulters in detention. It has also been suspected that these letters in the' correspondence columns of the Press, in many instances, have been written or inspired by relatives of the inmates in the camps, and in some instances by disgruntled employees who have been dismissed or permitted to resign as their continued employment has not been in the interest of good order and discipline in the camps. The charges of mismanagement and inefficiency must be read in the light of the above background, and are without, foundation in fact. THE SHANNON CAMP. . ; "The camps at Shannon, now three in number, accommodating 250 defaulters, are conducted consistently with the Government's policy m utilising the- services of these men m useful work. The defaulters at Shannon are engaged mainly in- planting and weeding flax, -and to a limited extent in growing vegetables. The cultivation of flax is of the utmost importance to the country, and in this respect the work is regarded as essential. The administration of the Shannon camps has been more difficult than that of the others, chiefly owing to the monotonous nature of the." work, the necessarily restricted camp areas, and the proximity of populated centres. Some members.of the staff previously employed were found to be unsatisfactory and their services terminated, thus giving rise on their part to the criticisms referred to."