ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25798, 20 March 1945, Page 7

ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE

Sir,—The recent decision of the Wanganui Armed Forces Appeal Board must surely arouse the fighting spirit ot every woman in New Zealand. That btave mother, Mrs Deere, whose four sons are still serving overseas, must once again bid good-bye to her fifth, who has already given three years and a-half service as a volunteer. One is forced to wonder how* many sons those membeis of the Appeal Board have given. To them it is not enough that the health of two courageous parents should break under the strain, but. that five brave sons should serve and serve a Sßin until the end. While the name of Wing Commander A. C. Ducrc, D.S.O. D.F.C. and bar. rings from one end of the world to the Other, thousands of other New* Zealanders can hide behind the c,oak ° sential industries and conscientious scruples. Surely the women of New Zealand will not let this pass without comment. Is this another man-made boat d? The country lias not forgotten Mr Meachen, so let us remember Mrs Deere.— I am, etc., „ J * K * Auckland, March 13

Sic, —when we read in our papers of 80 men, mostly young men, receiving 5s an hour, for we presume, a 40-hour week, striking for better terms, and of a man, held on appeal, suddenly being given the rank of major and a nice safe foffi among the men who are fighting toi him, is it any wonder that the men who had already served in one theatre ot war were absent without leave when they were being called again to go to fight foi these fit men? Is it that returned men have seen too much of what is going on in New Zealand in regard to military, or rather non-military service? We know* that these 3rd Division men, many ot them non-commissioned officers, who faced a court martial recently, did so as a Pfotest against the glaring discrimination operating in the country. Is the koturned Services’ Association not interested in the difference betwepn the treatment meted out to' these men and that given to the young men strikers at Turakina. What are these men going to say when asked to join the association? They had probably, like Kevin Deere, and many oilier returned men, been working with "A" grade men. Surely every "A grade man should go overseas before a returned man goes a second time. Will the R.S.A. never wake up to a sense of its responsibility towards these men who also arc returned servicemen? —I am, etc., Oamaru, March 15. Justice.