LEAVE AND FURLOUGH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24832, 4 February 1942, Page 4

LEAVE AND FURLOUGH

THE MILITARY FORCES PRIVILEGES FOR TROOPS The Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, in a statement, announces the following leave privileges for members of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Dominion, Territorial Force, National Military Reserve and Guards, Vital Points:—

Twenty-five per cent, of strengths will be granted: (a) Ordinary leave from Mondays to Fridays from 6 p.m. to 11.59 p.m.; (b) ordinary week-end leave, from 1 p.m. on Saturday to 11.59 p.m. on Sunday; (c) long week-end leave for part of the 25 per cent, under (b), from 6 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.m. on Monday; (d) special long week-end leave as in (c), plus the time necessary (but not exceeding an additional 48 hours) to allow men from distant areas time to have 24 hours at home; '(e) furlough, each man will receive once in four months sufficient leave to have seven days at home. Mr Jones said that the intention is that officers and other ranks shall be granted week-end leave once a month to enable them to have approximately 24 hours at home.

Long week-end leave will enable the personnel stationed at outlying camps, etc., to visit the nearest large centre, but the special long week-end leave referred to in (d) is for those, men whose homes are at.considerable distances from their camp or station. "In regard to furlough," said Mr Jones, " this will be granted after three months' continuous full-time service, and, *as it must be so arranged that not more than 10 per cent, of the unit is absent at any one time, some of the personnel must be prepared to wait for longer than the completion of. the three months' qualifying period before they can obtain this privilege. "While on ordinary leave, week-end leave, or furlough as above," Mr Jones said,*" there will be ho deduction from pay, and when proceeding on furlough all ranks will be given free return travelling warrants to their horns town or place of enlistment. It must be understood that travelling warrants are not issuable for/ any type of leave except furlough." Mr Jones stated that the above arrangements are in addition to the existing provisions ,for the grant of special leave in cases of bereavement or serious illness of a near relative or for domestic or urgent business reasons.

Mr Jones expressed regret that the war situation necessitated the cancellation of Christmas leave and the disappointment this caused the troops and their relatives. The granting of leave and furlough must be kept in proper relation to defence and security requirements* and it might be necessary at any time to countermand or curtail the privileges according to changing conditions.