NURSES FOR SPAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23200, 26 May 1937, Page 14

NURSES FOR SPAIN

POLICE INTERROGATION

AN INQUIRY URGED

(Per United Press Association) .' AUCKLAND, May 25. •; • Exception to certain phases of the police interrogation of the three nurses from New Zealand who are on their way to Spain under the auspices of the New Zealand Spanish Medical Aid has been taken by the Auckland'-Span- * ish Medical Assistance Committee;' An', inquiry into the position is being ufge,d,; ; ; by the committee, which has cabled to Sydney for statements from, the nurses about the exact nature of the police examination. No exception was taken to the action of the police acting on the instructions of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry)/,in asking for the nurses' credentials."The committee in a statement points out that it had been widely advertised., that the nurses were going to Spain* under the auspices of the Spanish',' Medical Aid, and that the Minister knew this organisation and others were-; approved by the British Government.' The committee agreed, however, that it was reasonable for the Minister to have this down in writing. The committee -objects to what happened after the police had satisfied themselves of the nurses' credentials with respect to their association with an organisation approved by the British Government and under the presidency of Dr D; G. M'Millan, M.P. i The statement adds: " It would;seem that after this the police had only to communicate their findings to the passport authorities so that the nurses' passports might be endorsed. Instead, they seem to have cross-ex-amined the nurses individually for the best part of an afternoon about their political opinions."