LIABILITY CLAUSE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 92, 15 October 1940, Page 11

LIABILITY CLAUSE

MINISTER'S ASSURANCE

EACH CASE ON ITS

MERITS

Recently there has been much comment about the meaning of Clause II of the Home Guard enrolment form, which reads: —"Do you .fully accept your own liability for any disability that may be caused or aggravated by carrying out your duties with the Guard?"'

Replying today to a suggestion that the Government should accept liability for all disabilities that may be caused or aggravated by training as members of the Home Guard, the Minister of National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) stated that it was impracticable to arrange for the medical examination of everyone volunteering for service, and in any case it should not be necessary, as guardsmen would only train in their spare time, say, one week night and a few hours at the weekend. However, if in a war emergency the Home Guard were called upon to become part of the defence forces of the. country, then at that stage all guardsmen would be entitled to the same compensation, pensions, etc., as now apply to the soldier.

"No person should join the Home Guard," said Mr. Semple, "unless he is personally satisfied that the training is not likely to affect his health detrimentally, but if, in spite of this precaution, an accident did occur involving injury or disablement to a member of the Home Guard, then the public could rest assured that the Government would consider each case on its merits and make -whatever provision appeared necessary and just."