NEW ZEALAND YOUTH

Southland Times, Issue 24888, 30 October 1942, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND YOUTH

Regimentation Denied

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 29. What he termed an impression in certain church circles that it was intended to regiment New Zealand youth on the lines of the youth movements in Germany and Italy was denied today by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, who said that nothing could be further from the truth than such a suspicion. The Minister said that when the Physical Welfare and Recreation Act was put into operation he had made it clear that the policy would bear no resemblance to the regimentation schemes of Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy. The New Zealand system had its foundation in the basic principle of democracy—freedom of action within reasonable laws required for the general welfare of the community.

The department’s officers were instructed to act wholly on national ground, clear of sectional interests, said Mr Parry. They were expected to cooperate as much as possible with existing organizations, which could benefit from the officers’ expert assistance. During the war the main programmes were concerned with the promotion of the physical fitness of men and women associated with the war effort. In peace-time the great aim would be to help people in various age groups to make good use of leisure hours in improving the health of body and mind.