MUST REGISTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1943, Page 3

MUST REGISTER

GIRLS OF 18' AND 19 YEARS FOR NATIONAL WORK. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Girls who have attained their eighteenth birthday but who have not yet reached their twentieth, are required to register for work of national importance, according to Registration for Employment Order No. 8 now gazetted. Registrations must be made before Friday, February 26. Girls subsequently attaining the age of 18 or ceasing to be exempted under any of the exemptions provided in the order must then register within seven days. Forms of registration for work of national importance are available at all post offices. They should, when completed, be lodged with the nearest manpower officer. In a statement last night, the Minister of Industrial Manpower, Mr Me- 1 Lagan, indicated the policy that would be adopted toward the girls now required to register under this order. “Our essential industries require large numbers of girls if we are to meet the war production required of us, and already many younger girls have voluntarily moved into these industries, he said. “Still more are needed urgently in order that we can fulfil the in-, creasingly important part expected of us in the South Pacific.” The Minister said he realised that the direction of minors would be regarded with some concern by many parents. • The greatest care would be taken to ensure that any direction given would not be detrimental to the long-range welfare of the young person concerned. His’ department would regard itself as having a special responsibility in that direction. “Girls who are in essential or other important positions,” said Mr MeLagan, “are not likely to be directed elsewhere except where very special circumstances arise, and no girls under 21 years will be directed to work outside the locality in which they reside. Furthermore, girls aged 18 to 19 will not be directed to mental hospitals or licensed hotels unless they volunteer for such work and are obviously suitable for the work and their parents agree that they should be permitted to undertake it. “I should also, like to emphasise,” continued the Minister, “that full-time students at schools, training colleges and university colleges are exempt from registration. ’ In the case of part-time students, who must register, nothing will be done to jeopardise their studies.” Exemptions from registration under the Order are: Full-time students at schools, training colleges and university colleges; persons already registered for work of national importance; persons serving full-time in the Armed Forces or employed by the Army, Navy or Air Force; , persons employed full-time in registered hospitals; persons in receipt* of Social Security invalids’ benefits; inmates of hospitals or the Institute for the Blind; persons ■ within the scope of the Mental Defectives ’ Act;’ and persons undergoing sentences of imprisonment or detained in Borstal institutions. There is an obligation on all employers to sea that registration of employees affected by the Order is made.