MEN FOR FORCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24405, 17 September 1940, Page 6

MEN FOR FORCES

SYSTEM OF BALLOTS POSITION OF TERRITORIALS PROVISION FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Important amendments to the National Service Emergency Regulations (states the New Zealand Herald) make clear several points which apply to men who in the first instance may be called by ballot to serve with the Territorial Forces.

Such calling up will not remove the names of the men affected from the roll of the National Reserve. One of the amendments states that every man called up for service with the Territorial Force shall nevertheless also remain a member of the reserve. It is also made clear, however, that because he has been called up for service with the Territorial Force as a result of a ballot, such a reservist cannot automatically be tiansferred thence to the overseas force. Before that may happen it is apparent he must be selected by one of the overseas service ballots, which are distinct from the Territorial Force ballots. An amendment prevents the transfer of any member of the Territorial Force to any other armed force whose members are liable for service outside New Zealand. A new provision is included governing appeals on the ground of conscientious objection. Where an appeal to a man-power committee, which will deal only with appeals against territorial service, includes the ground of conscientious objection, it has to be remitted by the committee without consideration to the Director of National Service, and will be referred by him to an Armed Forces Appeal Board., which will deal with appeals against overseas service, and with all those on account of conscientious objection. The board will then confine its consideration to the ground of conscientious objection, and if it dismisses the appeal on that ground it will then be referred to a man-power committee for consideration on any other grounds it may contain. An appeal to an Armed Forces Appeal Board, following a ballot, must be instituted by sending it to the Director of National Service at Wellington. Every appeal to a manpower committee will be instituted by sending it to the secretary of the manpower committee for the district in which the appellant ,is resident.