RELEASE OF MEN

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1943, Page 5

RELEASE OF MEN

FROM N.Z. FORCES @ New Procedure % OVERSEAS CLASS NEEDED. P.A. WELLINGTON, March 25. In a statement to-night, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser explained certain important changes in the procedure in connection with the release of men from the armed forces. In future, Mr. Faser said, all releases would, in the first instance, be handled by District Manpower Officers, instead of by Armed Forces Appeal Boards. This applied to releases initiated (following a recent survey of manpower with the Army) by the National Service Department; and to individual applications, on the ground of public interest or hardship, made by employers for the release of a particular soldier, or by a soldier himself, or by some relative or interested person. Applications'for release b v soldiers under the age of twenty, he said, constituted an exception, and were required to be made direct to the unit commander. In accordance with a decision to release fronj. the Army selected men who were required for important industries, a complete survey of men in the Army had been made in order to determine the number available and suitable for emplovment in those industries. A preliminary selection was being made by the National Service Department from survey cards, and particulars would then be sent to the District Manpower Officers, who would investigate the circumstances, and, if necessary, interview the proposed employer and soldier in order' to determine the needs of the industry or business, and the suitability of the soldiers. They would also ascertain from the soldier’s unit commander (if this were not already known) whether the soldier could be reasonably be released from military service. If it was decided that the soldier should be released, he would be given a direction order, directing him to report to a Manpower Officer or a particular employer. Every man released to industry would be given a reasonable choice of employment, and, of course, had the right of appeal to the Manpower Appeal Committee. Where a man’s release was sought by an employer or by the man himself, or some other person on his behalf, it would not be necessary for application to be made to the local Manpower Officer who—if after investigation, it were decided that a release should be made—would take the necessary action. In the case of a man under twenty, it would be necessary for him to complete a special application form from his Unit orderly room. His release would, be made without the intervention of a Manpower Officer but he would be required to report within seven days after his release, either personally or in writing, to his local Manpower Officer in order that control might be exercised to prevent the youth from engaging in an unimportant or blind alley occupation. The War Cabinet had decided that, on a soldier’s release, his Army P a Y and dependants’ and other allowances would continue for fourteen days after his release, and he would be given a free travelling warrant to his home or the place where he was required to report. The object was to ensure that, consistent with the fulfilment of obligations to furnish the reinforcements for overseas service, and to maintain essential home defence establishments, as many men as possible were released for employment in industry. It followed that men eligible for overseas service, and members of the Navy and Air Force would be released only in very exceptional circumstances, and also that every effort would be made to release from industry for the armed forces the maximum number of men belonging, to the overseas class. The Armed Forces Appeal Boards would continue to perform important fuxictions in connection with release. In the first place, they would be required to review the postponement from military service of all men in the overseas class, so as to ensure that no man was held on postponement who could be spared, from industry. The boards would, also, have to deal with those cases which would be_ referred to them by Manpower Officers, m which the release of a man in me overseas class from the Navy or Air Force was sought by a man himself, or some interested person