MEN 51-59 TO REGISTER

Southland Times, Issue 24870, 9 October 1942, Page 4

MEN 51-59 TO REGISTER

Work In Essential Industries (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 8. All men aged 51 to 59 inclusive and male aliens of military age are required to register for essential work under two orders signed to- ■ day by the Minister of Industrial Man-Power, the Hon. A. McLagan. In a statement Mr McLagan said there were many men in New Zealand today who might not be actively engaged in essential work but who were quite fit for useful work. At the same time there were heavy demands for workers in a wide range of essential industries and men were being held back from the armed forces because of these labour shortages. The mobilization of older men and their diversion in suitable cases from non-essential to essential work would enable many of these younger men to be released to the forces and constitute a further major step towards the realization of a total war effort. EXEMPTED CLASSES “All men, whether British, or alien, Maori or pakeha, who come within the ages of 51 to 59 are affected by the order,” said Mr McLagan, who added, however, that men coming under the following categories would be exempted: Those already engaged in work of national importance; those giving continuous service with any of the armed forces; policemen; full-time fire brigadesmen; working owners or managers of farms; miners; railwaymen; seamen; those engaged in Hie production or supply of gas or electricity; medical practitioners; dentists; dental mechanics; judges, magistrates; members of the general assembly; ministers of religion; invalid beneficiaries; war pensioners receiving pensions assessed at not less than 75 per cent; inmates of hospitals, mental hospitals, blind institutes and prisons. Should anyone cease to be included in one of these categories he must register within seven days, the Minister added. The necessary registration forms would be available at all post offices. Referring to the registration of aliens aged 18 to 45 inclusive, Mr McLagan said aliens who were not naturalized British subjects had in the past not been obliged to do military service in the same way as British subjects, though in a few cases they had. been accepted by the forces on a voluntary basis. ALL ON SAME FOOTING In order to avoid the anomalous position of calling on all British subjects who were not required by the forces to give national service through working in essential industries, while aliens who were not required to do military service were not called upon to contribute in any other way to the war effort, it had been decided that these aliens should now be placed on exactly the same footing as all other members of the community and should accordingly be liable for direction into whatever work the national interest demanded. The present order brought all aliens of military age under the control of the National Service Department as regards their employment in the same way as those over military age who were covered by other registration orders. The exempted classes of aliens between 18 and 45 were those giving continuous service or employed as civilians with any of the armed forces; seamen; invalids; war pensioners receiving pensions assessed at not less than 75 per cent, and inmates of hospitals, blind institutes, mental hospitals and prisons. Aliens would register in the same way as those registering for essential work. AGE BENEFIT SCHEME MODIFIED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 8. In an explanatory statement on the modification of the provisions governing the payment of Social Security age benefits, the Hon. A. McLagan said an age beneficiary could now surrender his benefit and earn as much as he liked and still resume his benefit as soon as his employment finished The amount he earned in the meantime would not be taken into account provided he had not claimed the benefit during the period of his employment. The Minister said many elderly persons had experienced difficulty in helping the war effort because of the effect their earnings might have on their future benefit payments when the benefit was resumed. The recent regulations obviated’this fear, and the Minister appealed to age beneficiaries who were fit and capable to offer their services for war work. STOCK AGENT KILLED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 8. Eric McKay Campbell, a stock agent, aged 47, was killed instantly when the truck he was driving was struck by a train at a railway crossing this morning. He was a married man with three children. AIRMAN INJURED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 8. Aircraftman William McSheffrey, R.N.Z.A.F., received injuries in an accident on the flare path of a ‘South Island Air Force station last night. It is believed that he was struck by an aircraft engaged in night flying. He was admitted to hospital and later removed from the seriously ill list. His wife is Mrs S. McSheffrey, Point Chevalier, Auckland. KNOCKED DOWN BY BICYCLE Frederick Pope, a single man employed in the office of the Singer Taxis, was admitted to the Southland Hospital on Wednesday night suffering from the effects of having been knocked down by a bicycle ridden by a youth. The cyclist and the pedestrian met in collision at the corner of Conon and Tyne streets. Pope was in an unconscious condition when he was admitted to hospital, and yesterday, although he had partly regained consciousness, his condition was serious and he was placed on the seriously ill list.