CONSCRIPTION IN E.P.S.

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23541, 20 January 1942, Page 8

CONSCRIPTION IN E.P.S.

* SERVICE ORDERED “ON RECOMMENDATION ” MR SEMPLE’S STATEMENT AT ASHBURTON “Give me a list ot names of those persons who arc not, but who should be, in your local Emergency Precaution organisation, and* 1 will see that they are conscripted,” staled the Hon. R. Semple, Minister lor National Service, to the Mayor of Ashburton (Dr. J. Connor), when he conferred with the Ashburton executive of the Emergency Precautions Services yesterday. "If the law of compulsion is necessary, we have to use it,” the Minister said. Information that power had been given to conscript persons into the service of the Emergency Precautions Services on his recommendation to the War Cabinet, and that, also on his recommendation, the Prime Minister ithe Rl. Hon, Peter Fraser) would be issuing regulations shortly giving authority to transfer men from the E.P.S-. to the Home Guard, and vice versa, was given by the Minister. “We are well organised, but we are short of personnel in some sections," said Dr, Connor. He added that the shortage existed in spite of efforts to get persons to join. The Minister: “Give us the names and they will be notified by the National Service Department. We will do the conscripting. He continued that the authorities had not applied compulsion yet, but they had the power to do it. In reply to Mr J. R, Richardson, Mr Semple' said that the Army reserves should not be touched. E.P.S. and Home Guard Mrs A. N, Grigg said that it had been suggested that some men in the Homo Guard would be more suitable in the E.PS., and vice versa. That was very important, stated the Minister. No one had 'wer just now to make transfers, but he had suggested to the Prime Minister that a regulation should be passed so that some one could classifv the Home Guard and E.P.S. Power would be given to do that shortly. There were young men in the E.P.S,. who should be in the Homo Guard. Mr S. P. Taylor (chairman of the Ashburton County Council) asked if petrol could be made available for Emergency Precautions Services’ activities in the country. Mr Semple replied that it was a matter for the Oil Fuel Controller, but he would take a note of the suggestion, Mr II Smallbone pointed out that after the current registration period for motor-cars expired there would be some difficulty in getting cars for E.P.S. work. Registration of Cars "Registration or no registration, we are going to ask a man to use his car for the nation. It will be automatically registered if necessary, so that he can carry on if called upon,” said the Minister He added that motor vehicle? were not going to be impressed and left to rust, they would be left in jobs where they were essential, on the understanding that the owners were to keep them in good order and deliver them at a moment's notice if required. Whe. the Army got its quota, the residue would be organised for the E.P.S.. and that work would be finished within a week, he hoped. Two-gallon tins of petrol under seal would be handed to each car owner engaged in E.P.S. work for an emergency, and his battery would be kept in order. , When he made a survey of the strength of the E.P.S.. he discovered that it was considerably short of the

requirements, stated Mr Semple. “I discovered that it was no use pleading with people to do what was their obvious duty—the only way is to force them,” he said. “I then recommended the War Cabinet to conscript people with no more pleading.” Mr S. P. Taylor 'chairman of the Ashburton County Council): Does that apply to the Home Guard? The Minister: No. but I hope it will. If it is good enough for the soldiers to do their job overseas, it is up to the people to do the same here. He added that as far as industry was concerned, if persons engaged were doing a job more essential to the war effort, they would have to stay there. Mr Semple met the Temuka emergency committee yesterday.