PRIOR CLAIM OF HOME GUARD

Southland Times, Issue 24484, 11 July 1941, Page 4

PRIOR CLAIM OF HOME GUARD

Services Of Fit Men

A statement issued yesterday sets out an agreement between the E.P.S. organization and the Home Guard in Invercargill about transfer from one body to the other and the prior claim of the Home Guard to the services of fit men between the ages of 18 and 48. “The chief controller of the E.P.S. organization (Mr H. J. Macalister) and the area commander of the Home Guard (Captain W. Bell) have discussed and agreed upon the following arrangements between the two organizations,” says the statement. “The E.P.S. recognizes the principle that, so far as future enrolments are concerned, all fit men between the ages of 18 and 48 should go to the Home Guard, unless they are required by the E.P.S. for work for which they have special qualifications. E.P.S. controllers will be instructed not to enrol any such man. “The Home Guard recognizes the principle that any member’ who is specially qualified for any branch of E.P.S. work, and who is required by the E.P.S.. should be released. Any request for release must be made through the chief controller who will satisfy himself that it is justified, before submitting it to the Home Guard. The Home Guard will release any member whose application the chief controller certifies to be justified on the above grounds.”