INSTRUCTIONS SUSPENDED

Southland Times, Issue 24838, 2 September 1942, Page 4

INSTRUCTIONS SUSPENDED

Soldiers’ Remedial Treatment (P.A.) WELLINGTON, September 1. “Previous instructions about compulsory remedial treatment have been suspended,” stated the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, tonight, “and the whole question is now under review. In all cases where soldiers have re-, fused to undergo remedial treatment, and who in consequence are liable for prosecution, directions have been given for any pending or contemplated proceedings to be withheld.” " “I am pleased to learn that this action has been taken,” said Dr. A. OwenJohnston, president of the Invercargill Returned Services’ Association, when invited to comment on the Minister’s announcement last evening. He said the decision was in conformity with a remit endorsed at the recent Dominion conference of the R.S.A. and submitted to the Government. The remit declared that no recruit should be adjudged a military defaulter because he refused to submit to an operation ordered by a medical board. - The subject was discussed at a meeting of the District Council of the R.S.A. last week. Dr Owen-Johnston said then that the individual had a right to say whether an operation should be performed on his body. Whether he was wise in so doing was another matter. The refusal should not be overridden by making the man a defaulter. One felt that the present state of the law was unreasonable. If the authorities labelled all conscientious objectors as defaulters it would not be so bad, but if the tribunal believed their story they were not made defaulters.