TO CO OVERSEAS

Grey River Argus, 22 January 1943, Page 4

TO CO OVERSEAS

GRADE 2 N.Z. SOLDIERS Garrison Duty in Islands [Per Press Association] CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 21. Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister ot Supply and Munitions, who is in Christchurch at present, and to whom certain questions were referred by the Christcnurch “Press," stated to-day that he had taken the matter up with Hon. F. Jones, Minister of Defence. Mr. Sullivan stated that Mr. Jones had advised that the War Cabinet has approved of Grade 2 men being despatched to 'certain Pacific islands for garrison duty. Mr. Jones stated that, up to the present, onl- soldiers who /are in Grade One, and who are between the ages of 21 and 41 years have been sent beyond New Zealand for service in the present war, but. it was considered that Grade Two men could quite well be utilised for this duty. In the particular islands to which the Grade Two men would be sent, for garrison duties, he said, climate was he/althy and the islands were practically' free from any virulent tropical disease. Particular care would be taken that the soldiers selected for this service were physically' suitable. This scheme, said Mr. Jones, will, in addition, relieve the units now in the islands, consisting of Grade One men, who will become available to proceed to more important duties elsewhere, and which will implement a general policy of conserving Grade One men for duty which cannot be carried out by personnel of a lower medical grading. It will also, said Mr. Jones, enable well-trained Grade Two men to take up important duty, and relieve them from the boredom of the continuous service in New Zealand, on which some of them had been employed since the outbreak of the war. it is anticipated, therefore, that the men selected will welcome the opportunity of serving in the islands, which ‘ are regarded as important outposts in the scheme of the defence of New Zealand. Mr. Jones stated that, normally, the Grade Two serving soldiers who will be despatched will be between the ages of 21 years and 41 years (inclusive), but that men in the same medical category who have passed their 20th birthday will be given the opportunity' to volunteer, on submitting the written consent of both their parents, or of their guardian. In addition, soldiers who have passed their 41st birthday arid whose medical grading is either Grade One or Grade Two, may also voluntees.

Second N.Z.E.F. Division QUESTION OF RETURN. [Per Press Association] ’ CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 21. Hon. D. G. Sullivan, speaking at Christchurch last evening, deprecated any attempt by members of Parliament to win support by advocating the return of the division. A question being discussed in the electorate wa's the position of the division in the Middle East. Fie hoped that no person in the campaign, and especially no member of Parliament, would exploit the anxiety and attention or the people with regard to the return of the division. “I say, especially members of Parliament, he added, f ‘bcci?usG’ every member is completelv familiar with the entire story.” Mr. A. G. Osborne, M.P.: Hear. l e "Every member knows that the Prime Minister has been absolutely frank with Parliament in connection with the return of the New land division from the Middle East, said Mr. Sullivan. “He has tojd them everything, and has read to them the cr'ble°rams which have passed between the Prime Minister of Britain (Mr Churchill) and Mr. Fraser with regard to the question I am now mscussing. Further, every member of Parliament knows that not the Government nor the War Cabinet, but Parliament' itself as a whole, made without a dissentient vote, the decision that has been followed at the present time. Mr. Osborne: Hear, hear. “So vou will understand it is entirely outside the rights of any member ‘of Parliament at present, irrespective of which side of the House he mav be- on, to attempt to win any support or any kudos by misrepresentation on this question, because the decision made represents the unanimous decision of Parliament, f cannot, for security reasons, disclose the whole of the correspondence to you. but it has all been read out to iParliament as a whole.” TIMARU, Jan. 20. In a speech here, Mr. W. E. Barnard, M.P., said: “We owe a duty to the’ men lighting overseas to maintain the' economic structure of the Dominion.” The number of lighting men possible to be maintained on tne Held was closely related to the economic basis of the country the success of the fighting forces being dependent upon the supply of materials.

Men of 41—-45 Age Group NO PERMANENT MOBILISATION. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH. Jan. 20. A statement that married men of the 41-45 age group, called by ballot shortly before Christmas, will not be permanently mobilised, but that those men released from industry and for whom appeals have not been successfully made will be given a small period of military training, was made bv Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Supply, and a member of the War Cabinet, at a meeting of Christchurch East electors at Waltham this evening. Mr Sullivan said he had found a few matters arousing the attention of the electors in the campaign. He had found that one of the questions in which the people were very interested, and naturally so, was the position of married men from '4l to 45 years of age recently called up, and the action the Government was going to take with them. “And J want to say to you, in explanation of the action that is being taken, that so far as these men. are concerned there is no intention of permanently mobilising them for army service. They will be given some military training in the same way as territorials. I do not know how long it will be. Perhaps that will be determined a little later on—one month, two months, perhaps-it mav be three months. But there will be some small amount of military training so that they will have had some training in the event of the emergency becoming more acute than it is. But even the small amount, of military training they will get will depend again on the industrial situation and subject, of course, to appeal. I think that is a. matter of some importance to people in the electorate and they will be glad to know that there is no intention of permanently mobilising these men in the Army and they will be given only a’ comparatively small amount of military service.” The second question being raised wag' that of youths of 18 to 21 years already giving military service who were in danger of losing their opportunities for occuoational training. “Well, the War Cabinet and tip Government have been giving a tention to that question also, and f a

plan is being worked, out with the object of making sure that these boys rendering military service will get. their training, whether they are' university boys or apprentices or whatever their occupations may be.” Mr Sullivan said.