POLICE HAVE ACCESS TO ARMY RECORDS: OBJECTION BY R.S.A.

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 August 1949, Page 3

POLICE HAVE ACCESS TO ARMY RECORDS: OBJECTION BY R.S.A.

DUNEDIN, August 30 (P.A.).—The war crime records and medical case histories of returned servicemen had been made available to the police of New Zealand and for teaching purposes at the Dunedin Medical School, and in the latter case the names of servicemen concerned were available to students, said, the president of the Dunedin Returned Services’ Association (Mi' D. L. Wood), at a meeting of the executive committee this evening. Mr Wood said that in both the cases to which he referred a doctor in Dun- j edin was prepared to supply confi- ] dentially the names of the returned ' servicemen concerned. The executive decided to refer the question to the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, with representations that the practice should be stopped forthwith. Mr Wood said he had been told about the matter by the doctor, who had been approached for a certificate required under the present legislation for an application for a publican’s licence. The certificate was to the; effect that the applicant was not suffering from communicable disease. The doctor was told by the applicant that the police had had access to his Army records and also that the police had access to records of any men who applied for a publican’s licence or any other licence, said Mr Wood. This was so that they could check up on the crime and medical careers of the applicants. Mr Wood said that this appeared to be an injustice. Those who served’ in any war were given a clear medical discharge when sent back to civilian life. The country did not suffer from diseases as a result. It was unfair that a man’s Army record should be held against him when he applied for a licence or anything else on his return to civilian life. Mr Wood said he was told that case histories were laid on the table at the hospital for students to examine. “This is a very serious matter,” said Mr A. J. H. Jeavons. “We should take the matter up with the Dominion executive to ensure that the practice stops at once. A soldier’s medical file is built up for his own good, but solely for Army purposes. It is highly improper that any other Government department should have access to the records.” ! '~