WAR STRENGTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 March 1941, Page 5

WAR STRENGTH

TERRITORIAL FORCE OPENING FOR TEMPORARILY UNFIT MEN. VOLUNTEER RECRUITING SYSTEM. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The announcement that the Territorial Force was to be brought up to full war establishment as early as possible was made yesterday by the Minister of National Service, Mr. Semple. He said that men. married and single, who had been declared temporarily Unfit for service or fit only for home defence were to be called up for training and that the voluntary system of recruiting for Territorial service was to be opened once more to married men between the ages of 19 and 45 with not more than three dependent children under the age of 16 years. Mr. Semple said that because of the recently announced new basis of recruitment of the Territorial Force, many men whose appeals against Territorial service had been adjourned on the ground of being temporarily unfit for duty in either the Territorial Force or for service overseas would now be required to undergo training in the Territorial Force. In thos'e cases the appeals would be brought on for hearing immediately. “It is possible also, stated; the Minister, “that there will be cases where, though no appeal has yet been lodged, undue hardship would be caused or it would be contrary to the public interest, because of the man’s occupation, to post him to the Territorial Force. In these cases, on representations to the appropriate Manpower Committee by the man himself, his employer, or any other interested party who normally would have a right of appeal, the ■ whole of the facts will be considered by the committee with a view to deciding whether the man should be required to undergo training.

“It is essential that such applications should be made to the secretary of the committee immediately after the calling-up notice is received in order to facilitate the expeditious consideration of the case and to. enable the Army authorities to make arrangements for the posting of men in respect of whom appeals are not allowed. “As has been announced, it has been decided that in future no man between the ages of 20 and 40 years, who has been medically classified at Grade 1, will be posted to the Territorial Force or called up for intensive training unless he has been specifically exempted from service overseas and alternative training with the Territorial Force has been directed by an armed forces appeal board. This decision has been reached by the Government after a survey of the manpower situation and with the object of having a well-train-ed and stable Territorial Force brought up to full war establishment available within New Zealand for the defence of the Dominion. “I would appeal to men called for service and their employers not to lodge appeals merely because some slight inconvenience would be caused. It is absolutely essential that the Territorial Force should be built up to full war establishment as soon as possible. and it is hoped that appeals will be lodged only where grave hardship would be involved or where the calling up of a man would result in a disruption of essential work and would clearly be contrary to the public interest.”