REHABILITATION BOARD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 1 July 1943, Page 5

REHABILITATION BOARD

NO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. “There are no conscientious objectors on the Rehabilitation Board, said Mr E. L. Cullen (Govt. Hawkes Bay) in the House of Representatives last night, speaking in the Financial Debate. Mr Cullen said he was on the Rehabilitation Board and that he was concerned with the report of a speech made by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, at Whangarei, in which he was quoted as having said that if the National Party came into office they would strongly oppose the appointment of conscientious objectors to the Rehabilitation Board. Mr Cullen, said he took it that the inference was that conscientious objectors were on the Rehabilitation Board. Mr Holland: I never said the Rehabilitation Board. Mr Cullen said that the Rehabilitation Board had twice contacted the office of the- Leader of the Opposition to find who the conscientious objectors referred to, were. Mr Holland: I will tell you now if you like. Mr Cullen said that the Rehabilitation Board had appointed district committees throughout New Zealand and in one case it did happen that a conscientious objector was appointed, but they had “cleaned that up.” He himself was an early and young volunteer in the last war and an early volunteer in this war. At the suggestion of Mr Speaker, Mr Cullen accepted Mr Holland's statement that he had not made the statement complained of, but expressed the opinion that Mr Holland should clear the matter up. Mr Holland: I will soon clear that up.