"PREMATURE"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 181, 2 August 1941, Page 8

"PREMATURE"

EMPLOYERS' ACTION

DISMISSAL THREATS

ENROLMENT CERTIFICATES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day

In a statement to-day regarding certificates of enrolment for Second Division reservist?, the Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, said that it had come to his notice that many employers were threatening employees with dismissal or were withholding their wages until they can produce evidence that they are registered under the National Service Emergency Regulations.

"While the employers' action is commendable in every respect and, in fact, strictly in accordance with their obligations under the regulations, as they are liable on conviction to a substantial fine if they employ for more than seven days an unregistered reservist. I would like to point out that as all the certificates have not been posted to the reservists, any action taken in this direction at this juncture would be rather premature."

Mr. Semple said a few thousand certificates were still on hand, but would be posted in a day or so. Even then there were hundreds of reservists whose enrolment forms were subject to further inquiry and investigation. It might be some time before these latter cases were finally cleared up, but in order to protect employers and employees each reservist would receive an interim acknowledgment of his registration. As soon as this work had been completed a further announcement would be made in the Press requesting all employers to make a complete check of their staff as from the specified date so as to ensure that all eligible for enrolment had performed that duty.