CAREFUL SCRUTINY

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 250, 23 October 1942, Page 6

CAREFUL SCRUTINY

MILITARY SERVICE POSTPONEME'NTS. EXEMPTED SINGLE MEN. WELLINGTON, Oct. 22. "The attention of appeal boards has been drawn to the importance of a careful scrutiny of all postponements oi military service to ensure that men called in the earlier ballots are as far as possible released for military duty in priority to married men with children called in later ballots," said the Pimre Minister, Mr Fraser, wlien giving a written reply to a question by Mr Roy (Opposition, ClUtha). Mr Roy had asked whether the Prime Minister would have a complete- review of all single men fit for overseas service, but who had -been exempt, with a view to their places being taken by married men with families. The Prime Minister said that determination on appeals depended largely on conditions existing from time to time, including the demands on primary and secondary industries for war supplies and essential civil requireanents. While it was appreciated that there should be the maximum release of singie men in priority to married men, it would not be possible even -under the best of conditions to defer the ealling-up of married men till all single men had been posted. There were many single men employed on war and other very essential work who could not be effectively replaced from among the married men V