Outside Use of Army Files

Chronicle (Levin), 16 September 1949, Page 5

Outside Use of Army Files

WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. If the Dunedin B.S.A. rnade charges it should give the whole of the evidenee on which the charges were based to enable full inquiries to be made but this has not been done. said the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, tonight, when commenting on a recent statement by the Dunedin "R.S.A. on the use of Army records. The allegation that "there mnst have been sorae dogree of duress" in persuading afi ex-serviee-man to authorise the police to perusp his Army tile, Was a most. serious one which reflected on the police forc.e. What proofe was there to support it? Mr .Tones said that if in the intorests of iustice it was necessarv to obtain information from a hle, he saw no objoetion to it being done and he knew no case of that procedure being abused. Mr. Jones added that in view of thedenial by the medina! superinfendent that files were being made available lo medical students, the It.S.A. should cite particulars of alleged cases. The Dunedin R.S.A. should not lend ltself to making wild chafges. "J would welcom-o the viewB of the; N.Z.R.S.A. wto, I understand, are to be asked to consider those charges," said Mr. Jones. "The N.Z.R.R.A. is a responsibie body and I am sufe tf there' , is any abuse they wiil certaiiity bringit l under the Government 's notice."