VERY DISSATISFIED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 29 November 1945, Page 4

VERY DISSATISFIED

NELSON R.S.A. PRESENT POSITION CONCERNING MILITARY DEFAULTERS NEGOTIATIONS BY DOMINION COUNCIL The quarterly general meeting of th.i Nelson Returned Services’ Association last evening decided L advise the New Zealand executive of the R.S.A. that it was very dissatisfied with the present position in respect of military defaulters. A letter from the Dominion executive on the subject stated: (1) That negotiations were still proceeding with thj Government on the question of military defaulters, and the course advocated by the Nelson Association would prejudice those negotiations; (2), the policy to be followed by the Dominion executive was indicated by the 1945 Dominion Council and any variation of policy will require to be at the direction of the next Dominion Council. In the meantime Dominion headquarters could not give Ine Nelson R.S.A. permission to take action as indicated in its resolution. In January the Nelson R.S.A. con* ducted a postal vote of all members and by 584 votes to 27 they supported the resolution passed by the 1944 Dominion Conference which stated: “That all military defaulters should be deprived of their civil rights for ten years, that they should be held in detention camps until 12 months after the termination of hostilities or until such time as all men and women from overseas have been rehabilitated and thot they should be debarred from employment in any Government department or institution maintained by the money of taxpayers.” “GLOSSED OVER” Some dissatisfaction was expressed by members that the resolution supported by Nelson had been “glossed over” by Dominion headquarters. After some discussion Mr A. Hunter moved the following motion: —“That this branch ask all other branches to take a postal vote on the subject of supporting thfc 1944 Dominion Conference resolution regarding military defaulters, as was done in Nelson in January 1945.” Mr J. G. Irving, district vicepresident on the Dominion executive, disagreed with the proposal in the motion. He said that the Dominion executive was the Parliament of the R.S.A. and as such it was endeavouring to carry out the policy of all branches of the R.S.A. “If you pass this motion,” warned Mr Irving, “you will in effect be passing a vote of no confidence in your Parliament.” The speaker then gave an outline of the discussions which the Dominion executive had had regarding the question of military defaulters and pointed out how determined the R.S.A. was to implement the policy as outlined in the 1944 resolution. It seemed evident from the discussion, said Mr Irving, that there was some confusion regarding the differentiation between military defaulters and conscientious objectors. It had been stated that the former would be let loose but this was not the case—it was men appealing on conscientious grounds who were being released.

After further discussion the following amendment was moved by Mr J. S. Allcock and seconded by Mr W. A. Boyd “That in view of the Dominion executive’s letter no direct action be taken in the matter of military defaulters but that the Dominion executive be advised that the Nelson R.S.A. is very dissatisfied with the position, and urges that pressure be brought to bear to get something done soon.” The amendment was carried without dissent.