DEFAULTERS’ WORK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 30 June 1943, Page 5

DEFAULTERS’ WORK

REPLY TO CRITICISM Whakatane, June 29. Recent criticism of the conduct of detainees at Strathmore defaulters’ camp when at work on the Government development scheme at Galatea, culminating in the Whakatane County refusing to issue driving licenses to detainees, has been answered by the superintendent of the lands development department, Auckland. He says the men were picked for their good behaviour and working ability and were released in order to be more gainfully employed in production after other means of employment for the present workers in the Forestry Department had been provided and a conference had been arranged with the Maori war effort committee

Twenty-five men were sent from the camp. They were still treated as detainees and were under the constant supervision of a patrolman. Drivers’ licenses were required only for estate work and, though any breach of faith made an offender liable to be sent back to Strathmore, there had been no trouble, the work being quite up to standard. Nothing had been heard of alleged local Maori dissatisfaction over the employment of defaulters.—P.A.