EXEMPTED CLASSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 October 1943, Page 2

EXEMPTED CLASSES

IN FURLOUGH DRAFT. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The position of members of the furlough draft which returned to New Zealand a little over three months ago was set out in a statement issued last night by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. He said that early this month the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, announced that the War Cabinet had decided that with the exception of certain officers, warrant officers, n.c.o.’s, specialists and tradesmen, who wore specially required to return to the Middle East, men in the following classes would be retained in New Zealand unless they volunteered to proceed overseas again:—(1) Married men with one or more children; (2) men over 41 years of age; and (3) all Maoris. It was also announced, said the Minister, that all other members of the draft could apply to remain in New Zealand on the grounds of undue personal hardship. Such applications were required to be forwarded to Army Headquarters for reference to armed forces appeal boards for hearing, and the appeal boards after considering the applications would make their recommendation to the Army as to whether the soldier should be allowed to remain in New Zealand. It was further provided that those men not in the exempted classes would be medically examined and that those who were passed medically fit ’would, unless they were granted leave, return to the Middle East at the expiration of their leave.