RELEASES FROM CAMP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25276, 13 July 1943, Page 5

RELEASES FROM CAMP

NATIONAL SERVICE SURVEY During the period. June 1, 1942, to Marcli 22, 1943, 20,416 recommendations for the release of soldiers from camp were made 'by Armed Forces Appeal Boards, and of these 11,718 were farm workers. The numbers actually released may be taken for the purpose of estimates, states the National Service • Department’s annual report, to be 90 per cent, of the cases recommended. Leave was recommended in 32 per cent, of the cases for three months, in 29 per cent, for three to six months, and in 39 per cent, for over six months (including sine die). Extensions of leave were granted in 1450 cases between January 1 and March 22 of this year. An industrial analysis of all grade I men aged 20 to 40 inclusive, and Air Force and naval volunteers, postponed or released from service with the armed forces following appeal board action, shows that the total at March 31 last was 41,270, oi whom 16,560 were engaged in primary industry, 6986 in transport and communication. 9525 in secondary industry. 1872 in commerce and finance, and 3439 in public administration and professional work. 1

The figures include a small proportion of men (mainly in seasonal industries) held back from overseas service but classed as available for New Zealand services. In any estimate of the total number of men held in industry, allowance should be made for 5596 whose appeals were unheard by March 31 last. Apart from the classes included in the figures given above, there are some thousands of men in the 18 years, 19 years, and 41 to 45 years, and grade II classes who were held in industry on March 31 last. As their numbers were at the time in a state of flux due to the release of the 18 and 19-year-old classes and the redistribution of man-power as between the army and industry, no details of these classes are given in the report.