MOTOR IMPRESSMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 126, 29 April 1941, Page 5

MOTOR IMPRESSMENT

MINISTER NOT TO INTERFERE. (Press Assn.) CHHJSTC'HLI i iLH, April Zti. A declaration that lie would not veto the decision of any transport authority on the impressment of motor-vehicles ior military service was made to-day by the Minister for National Service (Hon. R. vSempie). The Christchurch Drainage Board asked for the Minister’s assistance to have a heavy-duty motor-cycle used by its foreman released from'impressment, but only because full reasons had not been given on the appeal. Mr Semple consented to ask the Transport Authority (Mr T. H. Langford) to discuss the impressment further with the board’s officials. “I want the board to understand thoroughly that I do not interfere with the judgments of tribunals appointed to deal with impressments,” Mr Semple said. “If I started to veto the decisions of appeal boards it would make impressment ineffective. It would possibly make the Minister ridiculous if lie took upon himself the responsibility of giving decisions after having denied himself the right to listen to the full story. _ 1 “If appeals were made in writing I could .not be certain that I would give a just decision. Cross-examination and questioning help to make a judgment and I would be imposing a wrong if I judged on written statements. I would be placing m3 r self in an invidious position and I am not going to do it. I am always afraid unless an appeal comes to me in the constitutional manner. Mr Langford’s decision in this case stands until he alters it himself.

“This impressment business lias been a very difficult and a very unpleasant task, but it has had to be .done, like the imposition of the black-out in coastal towns. We are entrusted to do these things for the safety of the people and if we disobey the advice of the service chiefs the nation would be .justified, if anything happened, in trying the Government for treason. Whether or not they embarrass the people, we have to put up with these sacrifices. More than ever we are lucky. Wc should thank God we are living here and keep on thanking God that we are as safe as we are. Our troubles are infinitesimal compared with the difficulties confronting those in other parts of the world.’’