CONTROLS LIFTED

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 54, 1 September 1945, Page 8

CONTROLS LIFTED

FULL-TIME STUDENTS

MINISTER'S STATEMENT

Subject to certain minor exceptions, no further restrictions would be placed on students desiring to undertake or continue full-time studies, said the Minister of National Service (Mr. McLagan) today. The Minister explained that, during the war period, the approval of his department had to be obtained by persons over 18 years of age who were liable for military or industrial service before they were permitted to undertake full-time study courses. Applications were considered by a special student advisory committee, and where that committee was satisfied that it was in the public interest that a student should be permitted to engage in full-time studies, the student was exempted from military service and man-power direction. The object in imposing that form of control over students was to see that sufficient students of the right calibre were reserved in certain approved courses, such as medicine, dentistry, science, agriculture, etc., to ensure a continued outflow of graduates in these courses to meet the minimum essential needs of the Armed Forces and industry. Upon graduation, the students were allocated for service by the student advisory committee, according to the respective needs of industry and the Armed Services. THE EXCEPTIONS. In view of the cessation of hostilities, Mr. McLagan said that with the following exceptions it would not now be necessary for departmental approval to be obtained by students who desired to undertake full-time studies in the future: — In the case of category A men who had been held on appeal because of the essential nature of their employment, and also male aliens between the ages of 21 and 35 years inclusive, who, if they had been British subjects, would have been liable for service in the Armed Forces, it would still be necessary for them to apply to J the National Service Department, for permission to undertake full-time study courses for the 1946 academic year. These cases would be considered on their individual merits by the student advisory committee. So far as graduates were concerned, no restriction would be placed on their future employment after graduation, except that in. the case of those male graduates who would have attained 21 years of age by December 31, 1945, and who were Grade I and had therefore been held on appeal against military service to enable them to complete their studies, they would be allocated to suitable essential employment in the national interest. Each case would be considered on its merits by the student advisory committee, and graduates coming within that category would be asked to state their desires ;in regard to their .future employment, and would be given a reasonable choice of employment.