AIRMEN RESTIVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21933, 30 January 1946, Page 6

AIRMEN RESTIVE

GROWING FEELING RETENTION IN SERVICE WISH TO BE RELEASED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 29. Suggestions that R.N.Z.A.F. men at Whenuapai contemplated striking as a protest against their retention in the service while their Dakota planes were being used tor the internal transport of civilians was replied to in an interview this morning by Group Captain C. C. Hunter, officer commanding the air station.

Group Captain Hunter agreed that there nad been growing resentment ever since V.J-Day, but emphasised that as far as he knew there had been no threat or suggestion of downing tools.

The position was by no means comparable With the incident last October when the men demanded an explanation as to why they could not be released immediately. Group Captain Hunter said he had been surprised to read certain newspaper articles, which made it appear that the men at Whenuapai had gone or contemplating going to extremes. Actually, there was nothing sensational at all, although "certain chaps" had protested against being kept in. That had been going on since V.J-Day, but there never had been talk of striking.

Group Captain Hunter intimated, however, that the position might become aggravated later. Many of the men had a legitimate grievance and were anxious to return to civilian employment. Some had to complete apprenticeships and the longer they remained m the air force the longer it would take them to become journeymen. Jobs were waiting for them and they resented being kept in the service, especially as almost six months had elapsed since V.J-Day. Their attitude was understandable. “In all fairness to the men. there has been no open grousing to any extent and certainly no move to down tools. However, it cannot be denied that there is growing resentment. At the same time, the men are pulling their weight,” Group Captain Hunter concluded.

As the activities of the Royal New Zealand Air Force show signs of assuming a civil role, serious discontent is growing among certain sections of personnel who are being retained in the air force against their will, states the Auckland Herald. A daily return passenger service is being operated from Whenuapai to Harewooa (Christchurch) by Dakota aircraft and a daily return passenger and mail ,ervice runs from Wellington to New Plymouth and Whenuapai. Members of the ground staff who maintain the Dakotas at Whenuapai are impatiently asking how long they will be kept in the service to work on aircraft carry ing civilian as well as service passengers. They have already threatened to strike unless the authorities give them satisfaction.

Attitude of Ground Staff Although discontent in the air force has not reached the proportions existing overseas, the absence of an expression of policy by the authorities has given many ground staff men the feeling that they are being exploited in the interests of State-controlled civil aviation. The men who are most concerned are those serving in the maintenance squadron which handles the Dakotas of 40 Squadron. For some months this squadron has been operating a service to Harewood. Four planes make the return flight on Fridays, two operate on Sundays and for the remainder of the week three aircraft are used. The service was introduced to provide transport for service and ex-ser-vice personnel, but civilians are able to use it when accommodation on the 30-passenger planes is available. They are charged the same fare as on the civil airways. Although civilian passengers are believed to be in the minority, the ground staff men are taking strong exception to the practice. They contend that they were told before Christmas that their services would be required only whil" the transport of service personnel was necessary. They hold that the need for such a service should not exist indefinitely.