HOME GUARD LEAVE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 280, 25 August 1942, Page 2

HOME GUARD LEAVE

Essential War Work

Instructions issued by Army Headquarters give Home Guard battalion commanders authority to. grant leave from training or from individual parades to members who are called on for extensive overtime on essential work. A statement to this effect is made in a letter to the New Zealand Manufacturers Federation from the Director of National Service, Mr. J. S. Hunter. “■While no hard and fast rule has been laid down as to the number of hours which would entitle a worker to exemption from Home Guard parades, states Mr. Hunter, “it is felt that if any genuine cases are properly represented to battalion commanders no difficulty experienced in obtaining relief from Home Guard training.’’ . . . Mr Hunter also expresses tne opinion that no difficulty should arise in the case of E.P.S. workers because of the limited amount of training involved. Where such training conflicts with the carrying out of essential work he thinks relief can be obtained by making representations to tne proper authority. . . “On account of the extensive training and duty required of members of the Emergency Fire Service,” says . Mr. Hunter, “some conflict lias arisen m respect of service in the E.F.S. and performance of essential work. By arrangement with the commanding officers ot the E.F.S., a large number of men have been exempted from billet duty and the position has been reasonably met in ail centres. It is not. possible to lay down :i hard and fast, rule whereby members of the E.F.S. will be exempted from training or billet, duly if they are working a certain number of hours overtime week, but individual cases.will be dealt with sym p a I hetically on their merits.