STUDENTS IN CAMP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25176, 17 March 1943, Page 2

STUDENTS IN CAMP

REPLY TO REPRESENTATIONS The chairman of the Otago Education Board, Mr James Wallace, received the following telegram yesterday from the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, who is the Acting Minister of Defence:— “ Referring to your telegram of March 5 regarding the release of youths under 21, you will have noticed in the press that' Parliament has commenced consideration of the whole of the manpower position and that these deliberations will be resumed this. week. In the meantime, I can say that the Government is anxious that youths under 20 should be given the opportunity of resuming their ordinary civil callings, and arrangements are in hand to release those who so desire as soon as possible. Some in important posts in coast defence and anti-aircraft defences may not be released until they can be efficiently replaced, but there will be no avoidable delay.” The following reply has been sent to Mr Fraser:—“ Glad to know that arrangements are in hand to release youths under 20. Trust that you, as Acting Minister of Defence, will do your best to hasten action by the military authorities in this direction.” Mr Wallace commented that Mr ''Fraser’s telegram did not take the position much further than the telegram from Mr F. Jones on February 5, which stated that “ certain administrative difficulties preclude the immediate operation of the Government’s proposals relative to the release of students under 20; matter under action.” It was satisfactory, however, he added, to learn from Mr Fraser that arrangements were in hand to release those who desired to resume their civil occupations. It was evident, nevertheless, that the army was moving reluctantly in the matter, and he hoped that in the forthcoming debate in Parliament something would be said about this aspect of the matter.