RESERVED OCCUPATIONS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4231, 15 January 1940, Page 4

RESERVED OCCUPATIONS

CONFLICTING AUTHORITY. CUTTING DOWN RECRUITS. On inquiry at the Army headquarters at New Plymouth on Wednesday as to how the process worked of deciding which men, of those who had enlisted for active service, were retained for what are termed reserved occupations, a Taranaki Herald sentative was informed that the officers knew nothing of the list of the “reserved occupations.” “It seems that the scheme is not working as it was intended,” said one member of the staff, and it is cutting down our enlistments by about half.” It was further stated that an officer of another Government department, not connected with the Defence Department, appeared to have the say in the matter. He examined the enlistment cards and determined, from the occupations of the men, whether or not they were required for reserved occupation. It was stated he did not examine the men’s files nor did any inquiry appear to be made as to just how essential men were to, certain occupations or whether they could be reasonably replaced if they were allowed to go into camp. This was said to have an undermining effect on the general work of recruiting. An instance of what appeared to be a form of interference with recruiting was cited by a New Plymouth business man the other day who said that a member of his staff had volunteered for service and he was informed by a Government official that he could, if he wished, be classified as in a reserved occupation. His employers were also told that his services could be retained if they wished to keep him. Their reply was that they had no intention of putting anything in the way of a man who wished to enlist, and were somewhat surprised that the ocupation of the men could be brought within the list of “reserved occupations.”