CLOSING IN APRIL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21923, 18 January 1946, Page 4

CLOSING IN APRIL

DEFAULTER CAMPS

RELEASE OF MEN

GOVERNMENT POLICY

(S.R.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 17. The demand from one section of the community for the release of military defaulters now the fighting has ended though peace has not yet been declared is likely to produce equally strong expressions of opinion from other sections of the community that until the last of our fighting men have returned, no action should be taken with defaulters in detention.

The view held in political circles shows the general support for this statement of Government policy, which the Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, made more than once in the House of Representatives last session. Except for New Zealand's representation in the Commonwealth force of occupation in Japan, our servicemen will all be back within a few weeks, but the Government, no doubt, will give time for their complete reabsorption into civilian life before the defaulters will be allowed to compete with them for the available jobs. The legal position is that the defaulters will be entitled to release when the war is officially declared over, but it is not expected that the Government will wait for that formality, as the present disturbed international position suggests to those closely concerned in the matter that a peace declaration is a very long way off, possibly even longer than a year. \

The practical interpretation of the expressed Government policy suggests that after an interval of several months the problem of the detained defaulters on an indeterminate sentence will be solved by their release long before the official declaration of peace.

Further inquiries into the position indicate that it has been decided to close the camps and release the defaulters in April. However, this decision does not apply to those undergoing gaol sentences for disobedience of orders. These cases will be subject to individual review.