21-YEAR-OLD MEN FOR ARMY

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26713, 23 April 1952, Page 3

21-YEAR-OLD MEN FOR ARMY

IMMEDIATE MEDICAL EXAMINATION (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 2± The possibility of an international emergency wiy?in “the next year or two’’ is described as the main reason for the immediate medical examination of 21-year-old men who are being called up for registration under the compulsory military training scheme. Replying to Auckland suggestions that a medical examination at this stage was unwarranted, the Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan) said yesterday that it would be appreciated that the whole purpose of a military training scheme was preparedness to meet an emergency.

As originally designed, the Military Training Act imposed a liability on 18-year-old youths and as the minimum age for compulsory service overseas was 21, it would take many years before appreciable numbers of trained men would be available to serve abroad under this schcYne. “With the deterioration in the international situation, it was considered desirable to broaden the scheme,” said the Minister. “The changes were intended to provide more speedily a body of trained men eligible for overseas service, and a further group which had been medically examined and which could be mobilised with the minimum delay.”

REGISTRATION NEXT MONTH Youths who were born during the year November 1, 1929, and October 31, 1930. are required under Section 3 of the Military Training Amendment Act to register with the Department of Labour and Employment within 14 days of May 1. Although men in this age §rouo will not undergo a period of military training such as is being given those aged 18 and 20, they will have to be medically examined and pass through selection boards. They will then be drafted to the reserve. Men wishing to enrol in the R.N.Z.A.F. or the Royal New Zealand Navy will have to appear before selection boards of these branches of the services. According to the Act these men will be liable to be called upon to serve with the reserve for four years. Although men in this age group are not obliged to register before May 1, 40 registrations naa bex, made already, sa’d an officer of the Department yesterday.