COMPULSORY SERVICE

Grey River Argus, 5 February 1942, Page 6

COMPULSORY SERVICE

Hon. R. Semple Warns “Leadswingers”

P.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. Notwithstanding the regulations requiring compulsory enrolment in the Emergency Reserve Corps, it is still open to individuals who wish to do so to enrol with the Home Guard. However, they must join up with one or the other of these organisations. This was made clear by Hon. R. Semple to-day. Mr Semple said there nad been a discovery of a serious shortage of manpower in the E..P.S. His fir. check-up in the mam centres, he , said, had proved that there were between fifteen and twenty thousand men short. He had also found, on his subsequent visits to the smaller towns, that there was shortage in some of them of the E.P.S. personnel required. Referring to the individual’s preference in joining the Home Guard or the Emergency Reserve Corps, Mr .Semple said that .the individual could please himself in this direction, but the point was that he must join one or the other. He appealed to every citizens capable of rendering service in either of these orI ganisations, to join up at once. , ,f You can bet your sweet life we’ll Ibe after the leadswinger,” was the comment of Mr Semple, when asked if any steps are to be taken to check 'up on individuals who have pleaded their chronic incapacity to serve in the Emergency Reserve Corps. The first thing, he added, was to get the men enrolled. It should be obvious to any person with common sense, whether an applicant for enrolment who came before him, was invalid or not, but there would be a further checking up later.

Enrolment Period EXTENDED A FORTNIGHT. P.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. Hon. R. Semple announced that the period for enrolment in the Emergency Reserve Corps has been extended another fourteen days as from to-morrow (Thursday). It is still open to individuals who wish to do so to enrol with the Home Guard. They, must either join the Home Guard or the Emergency Reserve Corps.