STATUS DEFINED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20328, 17 August 1940, Page 8

STATUS DEFINED

DOMINION RESIDENTS LOCATION OF HOME VISITORS FOR A YEAR SERVICE OBLIGATIONS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. In an explanatory statement regarding the amended National Service Emergency Regulations gazetted today ,the Hon. R. Semple stated that in view of the number of cases which had, arisen recently it had become necessary to define the meaning of the term “resident in New Zealand” as appearing in regulation five. “Persons from Australia and other British countries who have not established their permanent residence in New Zealand are in doubt as to whether or not they will be included in the register ol men liable for military service,” said the Minister. “Under the amended regulations a person is deemed to be resident in New Zealand if his home is in New Zealand and every person who has arrived in New Zealand with the intention of establishing his home in New Zealand, or with the intention of remaining in the Dominion for an indefinite period shall be deemed to be resident in New Zealand from the date of his arrival.

“Any other person who remains in the Dominion for a continuous period of not less than 12 months shall, unless he satisfies the director of national service to the contrary, be regarded as resident in New Zealand 12 months after the date of his arrival as a temporary absence of less than four months will not be regarded as interrupting continuous residence in New Zealand. Position of Seamen "As regards seamen the amendment provides that every person engaged under New Zealand articles in any ship, will be regarded as resident m New Zealand unless he satisfies the director that lie is not resident in the Dominion and is a resident of some other country.” '

The Minister also explained tliai several other minor alterations to the regulations had been made with the object of facilitating the adminisrative procedure in regard to appeals. Under regulation 26 it was necessary for appeals to be posted direct to the chairman of the appeal board for the district in which the appellant resided. In view of the difficulty winch would be experienced by appellants in deciding to which appeal board to send appeals, provision had now been made for all appeals to be posted direct to the director of national service who would in turn transmit the appeals to the respective appeal boards, and he might in addition forward at the same time any documentary evidence or statements which lie desired to bring to the knowledge of the appeal boards. Regulation 32 had been amended to give the director power tc transmit any notice of appeal which he himself might lodge to the chairman of any appeal board without any restriction as to time limit. The’ removal of the time limit was necessary as appeals lodged by the director would as a general rule necessitate protracted inquiries.