NO APPEALS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 51, Issue 3099, 25 March 1942, Page 5

NO APPEALS

E.P.S. CALLED IN BALLOT

RULING BY DEPARTMENT SUBSTITUTES FOR “KEY” MEN That appeals for members of the Emergency Precautions Scheme called in the ballot for the Armed Forces should be reduced to the barest minimum was announced in a letter received at a recent meeting of the Paeroa Emergency Precautions Scheme from the Director of National Service.

The letter read as follows: —

“It is inevitable that as a result of the recent calling-up of men for the Territorial forces, Emergency Precautions Services will lose a percentage of their trained personnel. This is to be regretted because the development and maintenance of an efficient Emergency Precautions Service is most important from the standpoint of civil defence but the position is that with the one exception of service in the fire section (trained firebrigadesmen), service in the E.’P.S. cannot be accepted as an alternative to military service.

“I would therefore, impress on the central committees of the Emergency Precautions .Services, the necessity, for making such adjustments in their respective organisations as will facilitate the release of any of their personnel called in the ballot. With the introduction of compulsory application for enrolment in the E.P.S. replacements will not be difficult and it will be found that many of the men now enrolling will have special qualifications for the work involved and that for the time being at any rate they will not be liable for military service.

“It is of course, competent for the chairman of a central committee to lodge appeals with the manpower committees in respect of “key” members such as' Controllers and technical experts but as I have inferred such appeals should he limited to an absolute minimum. It is suggested that even in the case of some of the “key” men the position would be met by an appeal for a postponement for a period of sufficient duration to train other men.

“As it can be anticipated that there will be similar transfers to the Army at a later date deputies should be trained for all the' more important positions in the organisation.”