CANDID CRITICISM

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4528, 26 January 1942, Page 8

CANDID CRITICISM

Sir, —Your articles urging that no exceptions be granted now that the E.P.S. is to be made compulsory, and that the kid gloves be taken off in dealing with conscientious objectors, are all right, but do not go far enough. We have to be tough these days. First of all, Mr Nordmeyer, in P’riday’s issue, indulged in a great skite about the number of unfit men being made fit for military service by medical treatment- His skite is bunkum. Official statements lately put the number of single men rejected as medically unfit at 50,000', and the Minister claims that 3452 have been treated. A marvellous record 1 Just like the camel producing the ridiculous mouse after much labour ! The fact is that there are hundreds of young men who could get fit with a little treatment which they can get in our hospitals for nothing; but they won't do it voluntarily, so that really they are the worst shirkers of the lot. The Government should set up an independent Medical Board to re-exam-ine all rejects in order to compel those with minor defects to get treatment and then draft them into the Forces. Also, why should flat-footed men (capable of driving motor cars) be rejected when they could be drafted into the Army Service Corps or the Tank Corps ? Let the Government act in this direction also.

Now, as to the Man-power Committees and the Armed Forces Appeal Boards. Their method of procedure m hearing appeals should be revised. Up to the present statements by appellants seem to be accepted at their face value. Why ? Because there is no one to sift evidence. Let the Government appoint Counsel with a roving commission instructed to oppose every appeal. That is the only way to get at the facts and enable the Tribunals to get the true facts and give just decisions. Through lack of searching inquiry too many cases of farmers’ sons and employees are at present getting sine die adjournments. Then, also, more inquiry should be

made in cases where farmers holding Government jobs appeal for employees on their farms. These appeals should be thoroughly investigated, and if necessary the farmer be compelled to give up his cushy job and work on his own farm. Now, as to petrol allocations. It is about time that many of the farmers realised that a war is on and, instead of howling all the time, co-operated whole-heartedly with the Government in conserving the supply of petrol. “ Self before Country ” is still the practice of many to-day. Sir, how about your publishing the names and the amount of petrol granted in all licenses, and also the proceedings of the Oil Fuel Committee ? Nothing like publicity to stop abuses and injustices. What about it, Mr Editor ? Finally, why all the shindy about the black-out in Te Awamutu ? Let the pleasure-loving theatre crowds get •home in the dark like we did for countless years before the coming of. electricity. War effort before pleasure, black-out for safety before shareholders’ profits, self-sacrifice for the Country first all the time ! That’s what we want. Yapping unlimited is no good. “ Action, not words,” says Churchill. —I am, etc., WAKE UP, NEW ZEALAND !