BUSES AND HOT DINNER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 77, 13 July 1942, Page 6

BUSES AND HOT DINNER

DEFAULTERS TREATED WELL

A second proles I against the leged preferential treatment given to conscientious ohjcctors Jias been made by the Awake New Zealand Committee to the Prime Minister, lite lit. Hon. P. Fraser, and the War Cabinet. The following telegram, signed by the chairman, Mr ]'. Doiiham. was sent lo the War Cabinet: "Many indignant protests have been received at Ihe continued preferential treatment of military defaulters. On Tuesday last, the second occasion for our protest, (>U -defaulters were transported in de luxe buses from Stralhmore to Frankton with hot dinner provided, while soldiers on leave are provided with second-class railway tickets and a paper bag lunch only. We wrote to the Prime Minister on June 28 with regard to this matter. "The Rolorua and Waikato generally are seething with indignation at the unfair treatment and the unwarranted use of benzine and rubber. Your Cabinet "will never inspire New Zealand to a maximum war ef j fort while anomalies like this persist. " PRISONERS OF STATE CANNOT BE LEFT TO ROAM MINISTER'S REPLY An official reply regarding the allegation of preferential treatment j of military defaulters hase been received by the Hon. W. J. Broadfoot from the Hon. D. Wilson, the Associate Minister of National Servlcc. Mr Broadfoot had inquired why it was necessary in these times of petrol shortage to utilise two petroldriven buses to convey conscientious objectors from the Strathmore camp to Frankton Junction, en route to Palmerston North, and to provide i\ hot meal for them while soldiers travelled second class on the railway and ate a cold meal out of a bag. The reply stated that in the instance referred to it was necessary to transfer a large number of men from the main camp at Whonuoroa by buses for .'SO miles or more, 'to liotorua, because there was no oth-i er means of transport. The additional journey from Frankton to Rotorua was undertaken by buses in order to avoid the -difficulty of holding a large number of men'at Frank ten between the normal train limes. The Rotorua express arrived at Frankton at 1.1 p.m. and the Wellington express did not leave until 5.43 j). m. "It would be quite unreasonable" said Mr Wilson, "for these men, who were prisoners of the State, and subject to the closest detention, to be allowed to roam around the streets of Frankton or be held in the public view "while awaiting the train. There was no place in Frankton where they could be liekl in custody, and the only alternative was to use buses. A large number of men left the camp at about P o'clock on a A*ciy cold morning and did not arrive at their destination until 6 a.m. the following da)*.

"It seems extraordinary,"' lie added, "that anyone should suggest these men should not be provided with a hot meal en route."