N.Z.E.F. FURLOUGH MEN

Grey River Argus, 22 October 1943, Page 2

N.Z.E.F. FURLOUGH MEN

FIVE CLASSES EXEMPT From Return to Middle East MINISTER DEFINES POSITION PA WELLINGTON, Oct. 21. In a statement to-day, Hon. F. Jones, Minister of Defence, sa.d that it appeared necessary to set out tne position oi the members of furlough draft, which returned to Mew Zealand a little over three months ago. Early this month Mr. Fraser announced that the War Cabinet had declared that, with the exception oi certain officers, warrant oliicers, n.c.o.’s, specialists, and tradesmen, specially required to return to the Middle Hast, men in the following classes would be retained in New Zealand, unless they volunteered to proceed overseas again, viz.: (1) Married men with one or more children. (2) Men over forty-one years of age. (3) All Maoris. Further, all of the other members of the draft could apply to remain in New Zealand on grounds of undue personal hardship. Such applications were required to be forwarded to Army Headquarters for reference to the Armed Forces Appeal Boards for hearing, and the Appeal Boards, after considering the applications, would make their recommendations to the Army as to whether a soldier should be allowed to remain in New Zealand. It was further provideci that thosemen not in the exempted classes would be medically examined, and that those who were passed as medically lit would, unless they were granted leave, return to the Middle East at the expiration of their leave. Mr. Jones emphasised that the omy cases upon which the Armed Forces Appeal Boards would make a favourable recommendation for the retention of soldiers in New Zealand were those in which it was clear that undue personal hardship existed. The Minister added that the Medical Boards had commenced work early last week, and it was expected that the bulk of the men would be examined by the end of this week. Army Headquarters had communicated witn the men in the exempted classes to ascertain which of them desired to return overseas, and replies were now coming in from these men. Mr. Jones said that the position of the members of the draft is generally, that the following men will remain in New Zealand, viz: (1) Men over forty-one years of a°-e- (2) Married men with one or more children; (3) Maoris; (4) Men who were not up to the required medical standard; (5) Men, who are granted leave on the recommendation of the Armed, forces Appeal Boards. Mr. Jones said that men in the first three classes may, of course, volunteer to return to the Middle Ealst, while, as stated previously;, there are certain officers, warrant officers, and non-commissioned officers, specialists, and tradesmen, whose return to the Middle East has been specially requested by General Freyberg, and these member’s of the drart will be returned, unless they have strong claims to remain in New Zealand. In his announcement early this month, Mr. Fraser had stated: “Providing always that circumstances, and particularly shipping, make it possible, it is the Government’s intention that furlough for men in tn Second N.Z.E.F. should be regarded as a continuous scheme. It will be appreciated that the retention in New Zealand of any, large number of experienced and battle-trained men would prejudice the return to New Zealand on furlough of further men who are entitled to similar consideration, and would, at the same time, seriously affect the efficiency of our magnificent division.” Those men in the exempted classes of the draft who have not yet informed Army Headquarters whether they wish to return with the draft, and those men who consider tnat their return to the Middle East win result in undue personal hardship, and have not yet put in their applications for leave, should do so without delay, and not later than October 28. The Minister also stated tnat it was in the interests of the men themselves that they .should attend for medical examination, and oefore the Appeal Boards when called upon

do so. In this connection, it was necessary that the men should be at their home address, and available -.or medical examination and for the hearing .of applications for leav? during the next two weeks. As stated earlier, men who are to return to the Middle East with the draft will have their rail passes extended as soon as their medical examination and the hearing of any application for leave are completed.