OPERATION OF RAILWAYS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 119, 20 April 1942, Page 4

OPERATION OF RAILWAYS

MEN TN HOME GUARD.

(Press Assn.) WELLINGTON. April 19 JUilwavmen from the operating branches of the railways who desire to relinquish Home Guard service will be allowe-1 to do so. and those who wish to continue in the Home Guard will be retained for training and service, subject onlv to the requirement that in the event of an emergency they must first of all report to their railwav controlling officer for duty. 11 released by him they will take np duty with their Home Guard unit. This was announced bv the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) to-day. An exception to the Railway Department's prior claim on the services of guardsmen has been made, however, in the case of railwaymen whose present rank in the Home Guard is sergeant or higher and whose services are of correspondingly greater importance to his unit. Upon a state of emergency being declared, but not otherwise, thev will be released by the department for full-time Home Gua.r'l duty.

Mr Jones added that when instructions were issued that railwaymen belonging to the operating branches of the railway who joined the Home Guard should withdraw from the Armed Service, a number of railwaymen expressed a desire to remain in the Home Guard. An arrangement had been made whereby the Railway Department have first call in an emergency on 'men essential to the actual operation of the railways.