NEW SCHEME OF CONSCRIPTION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14074, 31 May 1946, Page 3

NEW SCHEME OF CONSCRIPTION

RESTRICTION IN BRITAIN

Youths Reaching Age Of 18

In 1947-48

Men Required To Keep Up

Production

London, May Bft

The British Government’s new scheme for conscripting young men into the forces announced to-day is to he restricted in 194 7 and 1918, with certain exceptions, to youths reaching the age of IS in those years.

This, the Minister of Labour (Mr Isaacs) explained, is because virtually all .the men between 18 and Bft in civil life will by then be needed to keep up essential production and services. As for the 18-year-olds, those called up during 19 47 will serve two years as will those whose service begins in January, 19‘4 8, but the period will lie progressively reduced so that those called up in September, 1948, will serve IS months. About men already in the lorces at the end of the present year the Minister said all of them will be released before the end of 1948 and the government aims to release during 1947 all men called before January, 1944. To lessen the need for men a new call is to he made for volunteers for the Women’s auxiliary forces.

The new'call up is expected to produce 190,000 recruits a year. This Figure means that at least 100,000 youths will not be conscripted at the age of IS. Among them will lie apprentices who will lie deferred until their training is completed. University students will he similarly deferred.

lArangements are being made to develop educational facilities within the services so that the young conscripts will still be fitted for jobs when they come out. •