MAORI TERRITORIALS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 259, 31 July 1942, Page 6

MAORI TERRITORIALS

Not Liable For Overseas Though members of the Territorial Force and other units mobilized for home defence are now. liable for service overseas ih accordance with recently gazetted regulations, the Government does not intend to deviate from the original policy , of voluntary enlistment so far as the Maori people are concerned. Maoris who have volunteered for service in New Zealand only will therefore not be liable to serve overseas unless they wish to do so. Advice to this effect has been received bv the Minister in Charge of Maori War Effort, Mr. I’aikea, from the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones. The position is set out in the following instruction, which, said Mr. Jones, had been issued to all concerned throughout the Army:— "It is notified that Maoris who have volunteered for service in New Zealand only are not liable to be drafted for service overseas unless they volunteer for and are attested for general service, i.e., for service in New Zealand and overseas. No restriction is to be placed on the enlistment of Maoris in the future —that is. they are to be permitted to volunteer either for service in New Zealand or for general service, and those who are enlisted for service in New Zealand only will have no liability for overseas service.”