POSITION OF DEFAULTERS

Grey River Argus, 3 July 1944, Page 3

POSITION OF DEFAULTERS

.TO BE REVIEWED.

P.A. WELLINGTON, June 30. The action of a minister of religion in associating himself with a petition i for the release of conscientious objecI tors was mentioned at the Returned Services’ Association Dominion conference to-night. Mr. G. Gilchrist, of Hokitika, said that as a result of this action, with which he entirely disagreed, he was resigning his office at the church he now attended and going elsewhere. Mr. C. O. Bell, Dominion vice-pre-sident, said that the Minister of Rehabilitation (Major C. F. Skinner) had told them that defaulters were being used to build homesteads on blocks for soldier settlers, but they had no information on the terms and conditions under which these men were being employed. Mr. Bell read to the conference a letter received by the 1 N.Z.R.S.A. from the Minister of National Service (the Hon. A. McLagan)., in reply to representations concerning resolutions of the Methodist Synod in Wellington. Tin’s reply stated that the War Cabinet had' under review the whole position concerning conscientious objectors and military defaulters. The desirability of bringing New Zealand procedure more into line with that followed in Great Britain was being examined, and the views of the association would receive full consideration.