GARRISON DUTY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1943, Page 4

GARRISON DUTY

SERVICE IN ISLANDS

GRADE Z MEN TO BE UTILISED

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 21.. The Minister of Supply, and Muni^ tions (Mr. Sullivan) stated today that the Minister of Befenee i^r, Jones) had advised him that the War Cabinet has approved of grade 2 men . being dispatched tp certain Pacific islands for garrison -duty. Mr. Jones had stated that up to the present only soldiers who are graded 1 and are between the ages of 21 and 41 had been sent beyond New Zlea^ land for service in the present war, but it was qonsidered that grade ? men could quite well be utilised for this duty, in the particular islands to which grade 2 men would be sent for garrison duties the climate was healthy and the islands, were^ prac* tically free frpm any virulent tropical disease. Particular care would be taken th&t soldiers selected for this service were physically suitable., "This scheme," W. Jones, said, "will, in addition, relieve units now jn the islands, consisting pf grade 1 men, who, will become avertable to proceed to more important duties else? where and will implement the general policy of conserving grade .1 tor duty which cannot be earned out by the personnel of lpwer medical grading. "It will also," Mr. Jones said, •<enable welMrained grade 2 men to take up important duty and relieve them from the boredom of contipuous service in New Zlealand on, which, some of them have been< 'emplpyed since the outbreak of war, It is anticipated, therefore, that the men selected will welcome the opportunity of serving in the islands, whiC^i are regarded as important outposts in the scheme of the defence of New Zealand." Mr. Jones had stated that normally the grade 2 serving soldiers, who will be dispatched Will be between the ages' of 21 and 41 years, inclusive, but men in the same ' medical ca.tegpry who have passed their twentieth birthday will be given an opportunity to volunteer pn submitting the written consent of both parents, or of their guardian. In addition, soldiers who have passed their forty^first birthday and whose medical grading is either grade 1 or grade 2 may also volunteer. _,