R.S.A. EXPRESSES CONCERN

Southland Times, Issue 25532, 28 November 1944, Page 6

R.S.A. EXPRESSES CONCERN

Suggested Release Of Defaulters Alarmed at the Government’s reluctance to announce its decision concerning military defaulters, and its studied evasion of all the association’s representations in the matter, the N.Z.R.S.A. has decided to make public the whole of its negotiations and to ask all its branches to convene special meetings to discuss the position. The association’s uneasiness has been intensified by a recent announcement that a survey of the civil occupations of the inmates of military detention camps has been carried out by the National Service Department with a view, it was understood, to considering release of the defaulters. When asked by N.Z.R.S.A. Dominion , headquarters whether this information was correct, the Director of National Service said he was unable to give any information, as the circumstances of persons in defaulters’ detention camps were the subject of a special report to the War Cabinet. NO SATISFACTORY REPLY A straight-out demand for a definite statement from the Government whether it agreed with the resolution passed at the 1941 special Dominion conference of the N.Z.R.S.A. and, if not, what the policy of the Government was concerning military defaulters failed to procure a satisfactory reply. The Prime Minister was informed that unless a definite statement was obtained from the Government one way or the other, the N.Z.R.S.A. would take steps to make known to the country, through the Press and by means of public meetings, the whole of the negotiations with the Government.

The association’s representations to the Government on this subject date back to October 1941 when delegates at a special Dominion conference unanimously passed the following resolutions:—(l) “That where men refuse or fail to report when called up for any service in the armed forces or noncombatant services where such is directed, their names shall be promptly gazetted as defaulters and all penalties under the present regulations be rigidly enforced, and, in addition, they be deprived of civil rights for 10 years.” (2) “That this Dominion Council views with concern that under the National Service Regulations defaulters are to be placed in defaulters’ camps for the duration of the war only. We urge that their detention be extended until 12 months after the termination of hostilities or until such time as all men from overseas have been rehabilitated.”

When these resolutions were communicated to the Minister of National Service, he informed the association that where a person failed to report in response to the usual notices sent by an area officer, his name was in due course published in the Gazette in terms of Regulation 19, giving him formal notice to report. If any default was made in compliance with such Gazette notice, proceedings wer# instituted. The penalty imposed in respect of any default was in the discretion of the convicting authority, and such penalties were enforced according to law. “No provision exists,” the Minister added, “enabling a defaulter on conviction to be deprived of his civil rights, and it is not the intention of the Government to make such provision.” CIVIL RIGHTS So far as the period of detention was concerned the Minister stated that the association’s resolution had been noted. Regulation 44a did not define the term “for the duration of the present war.” The Minister suggested that the matter whether men detained could or ought to be discharged before a formal declaration of peace should be deferred to a later date. It might be then found that between the cessation of hostilities and the formal declaration of peace, the majority of men overseas will have been rehabilitated. With the approach of the general election, .the association inquired of the Government whether defaulters from military service would be afforded the opportunity to record their votes, and whether they would be eligible to stand as candidates for Parliament, and received the Prime Minister’s assurance that the matter was receiving consideration by the Government with a view to taking the necessary action that all “lawbreakers” in detention camps were placed on the same footing in regard to voting or standing as candidates as the inmates of any other compulsory detention institution, including prison. ACTION URGED The N.Z.R.S.A. immediately pressed the Government to take the action indicated, and forwarded the following resolution passed by the Dominion Executive Committee: “That all persons adjudged military defaulters be debarred from employment in Government departments or any institution maintained by the money of taxpayers, and that they be deprived of civil rights for ten years.” In forwarding this resolution the N.Z.R.S.A. asked the Government to consider what the position would be if all had refused to answer the call, and pointed out that it was the definite opinion of the many thousands of men and women who had seen fit to offer their lives in the defence of their coun- 1 try that those who refused to do so should, at least, forfeit the civil rights they refused to defend as well as the right to employment in Government departments. In his reply the Prime Minister informed the association that the Electoral Emergency Regulations 1943 had been gazetted depriving military defaulters of the right to vote at the general election. He further assured the association that the terms of the resolution had been noted and would receive every consideration. In February of this year the N.Z.R.SA.. asked whether the Government had reached any decision on the matter, and was informed that the matter was still under consideration. REASONABLE DEMANDS

The Prime Minister agreed to receive a deputation as soon as the Petitions Committee of the House had dealt with the petition presented to Parliament praying for the release of military defaulters. The N.Z.R.S.A. protested that the petition and the question asked by the association were entirely different points. The N.Z.R.S.A. presented evidence to the Petitions Committee at the hearing, and at last week’s meeting of the Dominion Executive Committee it was decided to bring the full facts of the negotiations before the public. Complete details of the N.Z.R.S.A.’s long-drawn abortive attempts to get the Government to announce its decision concerning military defaulters are being sent to each of the association’s 96 branches, with a request that public meetings be convened to inform the country of the position.

The N.Z.R.S.A. feels that it has adopted a reasonable attitude in this matter, but on the contrary, the undue delay and procrastination by the Government in giving a straight-out answer to its straight-out question is most unreasonable. A definite statement of Government policy in this matter is long overdue.