EMERGENCY RESERVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24833, 5 February 1942, Page 4

EMERGENCY RESERVE

SHORTAGE OF MAN-POWER RAFTERTHE LEADS WINGER" (PA.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 4: Notwithstanding . the regulations" requiring compulsory enrolment' in the Emergency Reseive Corps, it is .still open to individuals who wish to do so to ehrol with the;Home Guard, They must, however, join up with one or other of these organisations. This' was made clear to-day by the Minister, of National Service, Mr R. Semple! who said the discovery had been madei: ■of a serious shortage of man-power in the E.P.S. His first check up in thk main centres, he said, had proved that there were between 15,000 and 20,000 men short. He had also found oh subsequent visits to the smaller towns that there was a shortage in some of them of the EP.S. personnel required.

Referring to an individual's preference in joining the Home Guard or the Emergency Reserve Corps,: : Mr Semple said a man could please him -. self in this direction, but the point was that he must join one or; the other. He appealed; to every citizen capable of rendering service in either of these organisations to join up; at once, r " You can bet your sweet life we'll be after the ieadswinger,", was ■- the comment by Mr Semple when asked if any steps would be taken .to check up on individuals who pleaded chronic incapacity to serve in the emergency Reserve Corps. ;:.The.first; .thing,, he added, was to get the men enrolled. It should be obvious to" any person with common sense whether an applicant for enrolment was ah invalid or not, but there would be a further checking up later. , . Mr Semple announced that the period for enrolment in the Emergency Reserve Corps had been extended for another 14 days from tomorrow. ' ■■■ ;■•■;.'";