QUESTIONS ASKED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 198, 23 July 1941, Page 2

QUESTIONS ASKED.

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS. THE SPITFIRE FUND. (Press Assn.) AYELLINGTON, July 22 An assurance that all money raised in New Zealand to be sent to Britain for purchases of Spitfire aeroplanes bad been sent for that purpose was given in the House of Representatives to-day by the Acting-Prime Minister (Air Nash) replying to a question by Air AN. J. Broadfoot (Nat., AA’aitoruo). Air Broadfoot’s question was whether the Minister of internal Affairs (Mr Parry) would advise the House the amount collected for the Spitfire Fund was approximately £156,000 and whether only £94,000. including exchange, had been remitted to London ; also what was done with the balance of the fund. Air Nash asked leave to answer the question immediately. He said every penny of the money subscribed to the Spitfire Fund had been sent to London between September, 1940, and Alarch, 1941, and was paid over for tko purpose for which it was given. Air F. AY. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga) gave notice to ask the Acting-Prime Minister if he would inform the House: (1) Of the number of conscientious objectors who appeared before the Armed Forces Appeals Board in AA ellington ; (2) how... many were members of the Civil Service or were school teachers; (3) how many in voicing their appeals indicated that they owed allegiance to neither God nor man; (4) what happened in the case of all conscientious objectors whose appeals had been di*- , missed; (5) how many whose appeals liad been dismissed had been compelled to enter the army; and (6) what form of alternative service had been devised for those whoso appeals had been alMr O’Brien (Lab., Westland) gave notice to ask Hon. W. Nash if lie would take steps to ensure that opportunity was given to all overseas soldiers to lie enrolled on the general electoral roll in the respective electorates in which they resided proir to enlistment. The question of the pay of stewards on hospital ships was raised by Air Broadfoot in a notice of question to the Alinister of Defence (Air Jones). Air Broadfoot asked if the Alinister would issue instructions to the effect that all stewards on hospital ships be drawn from the army in future and he subject to armv pay and conditions. Ho added that at present civilian stewards were working alongside army orderlies on the hospital ship at much higher rates of pay and this caused justi- , liable friction. ' > SOLDIERS’ PRIAULEGES. Tn an urgent,question to the ActingPrime Alinister, Mr T. D. Burnett (Nat., Tomuka) asked if the Government would extend the privilege of free passes on the railways to all members of the armed forces, including nurses and chaplains, prior to their proceeding on overseas service. Air Nash, in reply, said that all members of the armed forces, including nurses and chaplains, were granted free travel to their homes . or places of enlistment when proceeding on final leave. They could also travel at reduced rates between the three main camps and the three main cities and wore granted concessions of one-third reduction on the ordinary fare during long journeys.