ALIEN CALL-UP CONDITIONS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31136, 12 August 1966, Page 13

ALIEN CALL-UP CONDITIONS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, August 11. The Australian Government last night announced conditions under which it will call up non-British migrants for service with the Army under the national service scheme.

! The Minister for National Service (Mr Leslie Bury') said that the conditions would be: No migrant, whether a British subject or not, would be called up until he had been in Australia for at least two years. Any who wished to leave Australia rather than be called up would be permitted to do so. Non-British subjects would have their call-up deferred until they reached the age of 21. (British citizens are called up at 20.) Mr Bury said that aliens were being deferred until 21 so that they could take as adults the decision whether they wished to remain in Australia and, if so, to apply for naturalisation. “These will both be matters of their own free choice,” he said. "Those deciding to be naturalised will be regarded as residentially qualified for

naturalisation on completion of three months’ service in the army, or upon earlier discharge for medical reasons attributable to army service,” he said. Normally Australia requires five years’ residence for naturalisation. The first non-British subjects would be registered next January. With the year’s deferment for aliens, this would mean that no alien would serve outside Australia until the end of 1968. International Aspects Mr Bury said the Government had given careful consideration ■ to international aspects. It had reached the conclusion that its arrangements, applying only to those choosing to make Australia their home, were entirely reasonable from the international standpoint and did not conflict with any established principles of international law. 1