HOME GUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 March 1942, Page 2

HOME GUARD

COMPULSORY SERVICE MINISTER’S POWERS INCREASED. WAR CABINET'S DECISION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Amendments to the National Service Emergency Regulations passed on Saturday provide for compulsory service in the Home Guard. The Minister of National Service is now empowered to direct classes of persons to apply for enrolment in the Home Guard and the Director of National Service is authorised to call up for service in the Home Guard any reservist who is a member of any class covered by the Minister's order. On tile issue of a notice by the Director of National Service the reservist will be deemed to have become a member of the Home Guard and the provisions of the regulations apply in regard to rights of appeal in the same manner as if he had been called up for Territorial service. No direction has yet been made under these provisions.

A further amendment to the regulations confers authority on the Minister to direct any class or classes of persons to undertake such service considered necessary in the prosecution of the war effort. Previously a direction could only be made to an individual, and now the authority has been extended to cover classes of persons. The amending regulations are in accordance with a decision of the War Cabinet. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, said that in view of the present war situation it would be appreciated that the prosecution of much work was a matter of grave urgency. “Where urgent works for defence or civil purposes are required this new provision will enable adequate labour to be quickly diverted for the purpose,” said Mr Fraser.