FIRST DIVISION

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21187, 9 August 1940, Page 7

FIRST DIVISION

GENERAL RESERVE D' ENROLMENT PROCLAMATION CLASSES AND OBLIGATIONS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Thursday The Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, today issued a statement regarding the effect of a proclamation made by the GovernorGeneral directing the enrolment of the first division of the General Reserve created under the National Service Emergency Regulations, 1940. This proclamation was issued today in an extraordinary Gazette. Every man and woman in New Zealand of 16 years of age or over is a member of the General Reserve. The reservists are divided into three groups. The first division consists of single men from 19 to 45. In the second division are married men from 19 to 45, while the third division consists principally of women, of boys between 16 and 19, and of men 46 and over. The proclamation issued today concerns only the first division of the reserve, and its purpose is to enable a complete and up-to-date register to be prepared from which ballots for military service will be taken. Three Age-groups The Minister said the first division consists entirely of unmarried men aged 19 to 45 (both inclusive), who are natural-born British subjects (other than Maoris), and it is subdivided into the following three classes:—Class A: Those aged from 21 to 40 years (both inclusive). Class B: Those aged 19 and 20. Class C: T\ose aged from 41 to 45 (both inclusive). Natives within the meaning of the Native Land Act, 1931, that is, Maoris of half-blood or over, are not included in the first division of the reserve. The first step was the compilation of a register of all reservists coming within the enrolled classes, and for this purpose information supplied for the purposes of the social security register is being utilised. The next step will be the preparation and despatch of certificates of enrolment to the reservists concerned. Onus of Applying Naturally, certificates can only be prepared for those who have registered, and if there are persons who have not done so they should obtain a national service registration form from the nearest post office and after completion forward it at once to the Director of National Service, Wellington. The onus for obtaining a certificate of enrolment rests with the reservist, and if such certificate is not received before September 5 application for it should be made by letter to the director. Any reservist of an enrolled class who has not received his certificate within 28 days and who then fails to apply for it may be prosecuted for committing an offence against the regulations and may, on conviction, in addition to other penalties, be immediately called up for service without participating in a ballot. Notifying New Address A point to be noted particularly is that certificates will be issued only to reservists of the first division—that is to say, to single men aged 19 to 45, inclusive. It will, of course, be necessary to amend the register from time to time by removing from it the names of reservists who die, or who are accepted for service overseas with the armed forces, or who reach the age of 46. On the other hand, the register will be added to by the insertion of the names of reservists who attain the age of 19 or who become resident in New Zealand. Reservists who have changed their residential addresses between the time when they registered and the date of the proclamation must notify the fact forthwith to the Director of National Service, and any who subsequently change their addresses must send a similar notification •within seven days of the change. It is most important that the director should at all times be in possession of the current addresses of reservists, so that certificates of enrolment may be delivered without delay. Reminder To Employers Since employers are forbidden to employ any person eligible for the first division who has not enrolled, the necessity for possession of a certificate will be obvious from the point of view of both employer and employee. The procedure outlined will result in the register being kept as up to date as is practicable, so that it will be ready at short notice for the taking of a ballot for the selection of recruits for the armed forces when necessity arises. In their own interests, to avoid penalty and in the interests of New Zealand’s war effort, all persons concerned are i urged to make sure they are enrolled and that they receive their certifii cates of registration. I Special regulations exempt from inclusion in the first division men whose appeals have been allowed because they conscientiously object to serving with the armed forces.