DEERE APPEAL CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25797, 19 March 1945, Page 4

DEERE APPEAL CASE

PROTESTS AT DISMISSAL The Wanganui branch of the Democratic Labour Party has passed a resolution protesting against the dismissal of the appeal against further armed service by Kevin Deere, a brother of Wing Commander A. C. Deere. The branch believes that public opinion should bring pressure to bear on the Government in such a manner that all grade A men sheltering in industry should see service once before any returned man is compelled to serve twice.

Protests have been made in connection with the case by the Wanganui R.S.A. and the Edstown Workshops branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.

A letter requesting action in the case was forwarded to the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, by the Dominion secretary of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Association, Mr T. H. Nixon, on Friday. He made it clear that the association would in no way sponsor or support an action which would enable any fit person to avoid overseas service, but it thought Deere did not come within that category. “We consider the decision to ask this lad to perform further overseas service unfair and harsh, particularly in view of the service rendered and still being rendered by members of his family,” the letter stated.