Police See Army Records; Emphatic Protest

Chronicle (Levin), 31 August 1949, Page 3

Police See Army Records; Emphatic Protest

^ ... DUNEDIN, August 30. War crime reeords and medical case histories of returned servicemen have been made available to the police of New Zealand and for teaching purposes at the Dunedin Medical Sehool, In the latter case, the names of the servicemen concerned were available to st'udents. Allegations to this effect were maae by the president of the Dunedin branch of the New Zealand Returned Services Association, Mr. D. L. Wood, at a meeting of the executive committee tonight. Mr. Wood said that in both cases to which he referred, a medical praetitioner in Dunedin was prepared to supply the names of the returned servicemen concerned. The executive deeided to. refer the question to the district executive committee of the New Zealand R.S.A. with strongest representations that the practice should be stopped forthwith. Mr. Wood informed the meeting that

he wase advised of the position by the medical practitioner who had been approaehed for a certifieate required under the present legislation in connection with an application for a publican's licence. The certifieate was to the effect that the 'applicant was not suffering from a communicable disease. .The medical man, Mr. Wood said, was told by the applicant that the police had had aecess to his army reeords and also that the police had access to the records of any men who applied for a publican's licence or any other licence. This was so that they could check up on crime and the medical eareers of the applieants. Mr. Wood said that this appeared to be an injustice. Those who served in any war were given a clear medical discharge when sent back to eivilian life. The country did not suffer from diseases as a result. It was unfair that a man's army record should be held against him when he applied for a licence or anything else on his return to eivilian life. Mr. Wood said he was told that tne case histories were laid on the table at the fiospital for the students to examine. In the first instance he had quoted, the reeords had been niade available to the police. "This is a very serious mattqr," said Mr. A. J. H. Jeavons. "We should tane the matter up with the Dominion executive to ensure that the practice stops at ouee. A sol-dier's medical' file is built up for his own good but solely for army purposes.