SERVICE CUTS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28179, 18 January 1957, Page 11

SERVICE CUTS

Britain May End Call-up (N.Z Press Association — Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, January 17. British conscription for military service may be replaced by a system of selective service. The “Daily Telegraph” said today that the whole question of National Service was under review and some indication of the Government’s intentions would probably be given in the defence White Paper next month. Ministers foresaw a point at which an army of reduced size, while capable of being fully manned by regular recruitment alone, would require a much smaller number of men than the present system of call-up provided, the “Daily Telegraph” said. The “Daily Mail” said that the method of selective service would be decided when the manpower needs of the services had been revised. A system of balloting for the call-up was under consideration. So too was the exemption of men training for highly skilled jobs. But it had been accepted that the needs of the services for large numbers of technicians must be met, the “Daily Mail" said. The “Daily Herald’’ said that service chiefs had now admitted to Cabinet that the two-year callup was putting more men into uniform than the armed forces either wanted or could make use of. Another plan being studied was the raising of medical and educational standards before passing a man into the services, the “Daily Herald” said.

Boys Apologise After Party (Rec. 8 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Jan. 17. Two boys apologised for their part in a five-day rock ’n’ roll party that wrecked a Melbourne home while its owners were away on holiday. Police say that an orgy of sex. drink, theft and destruction did more than £BOO worth of damage to the Pascoe Vale home of Mrs Iris Rose. Last night two boys, one 15 and one 18. drove up to the Rose’s house in an old car and told Mr Rose that they had stayed at the house for two days. “They told me that they had nothing to do with any stealing, and were sorry they had caused any trouble,” said Mr Rose.