H—llA

first relief draft early in June. Army proposed to recruit a proportion of the Forcefrom the ranks of men already in camp on home service and the balance from civilian volunteers. As the Force was to be a volunteer one and strictly limited in size it was not considered that there should be any undue interference with the right of civilians to volunteer. Nevertheless, it was considered undesirable that men engaged in some of our key industries, such as coal-mining and sawmilling, which were seriously short of labour, should be permitted to volunteer, as such action would be to the detriment and not to the advantage of the national welfare. The Department, therefore, submitted a scheme to Cabinet, which was approved, and subsequently, after consultation with the Army authorities, it was arranged that no men employed in the coal-mining or the timber and sawmilling industries would be mobilized. District Man-power Officers were to maintain a close liaison with the Army authorities, and Army would agree to screen from enlistment those few men who might be represented by the Department as being highly essential employees holding key positions in other important industries, and who could not be replaced, particularly where the employment of other persons depended on them. The general policy decided on was to screen a minimum number only. The arrangements have worked well, and, apart from the coal-mining and sawmilling industry and certain members of the New Zealand Railways Locomotive Running Branch, only a few volunteers have been screened from enlistment in the J Force. 74. Towards the end of February, 1946, recruiting began for an Interim Air Force of some 2,500 men. Enlistments were received from personnel already serving, as well as from civilians. The scheme was introduced to expedite the release of war service personnel, and to permit the enlistment of those who wished to make the Air Force a career. Recruiting for the Navy also continued. (A similar scheme for an interim Army ivas introduced early in May, 1946.) SECTION lII.—MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS (i) Total Persons medically examined 75. From the outbreak of war up to YJ Day some 375,000 men and 15,000 women had been called up or had volunteered for service with the Armed Forces. Not all these persons were mobilized, however, due to conjugal status, wastages from reservation under appeal in industry, conscientious objection, desertion, death, confinement in prisons or hospitals, or medical unfitness. Although medical examination was not organized by the National Service Department, it proved an important link in the process of selecting men for service, and, partly as a result of statistical research carried out by this Department, a high standard of uniformity was achieved and maintained by the different Medical Boards. 76. The records of the Services shows that some 355,000 individual men and 15,000 individual women were medically examined. The cumulative total of individual men attested and medically examined for service with the Forces is indicated in the table below. In computing these figures allowance has been made for dual attestations and examinations ; such, for example, as when examination for service with different arms of the Forces was completed in the case of one individual, or, again, where more than one examination was conducted by the same Service arm. Estimated Progressive Totals op Individual Men medically examined Up to 31st March — 1941 .. .. .. .. .. .. 135,000 1942 .. .. .. .. .. .. 205,000 1943 .. .. .. .. .. .. 332,000 1944 .. .. .. .. .. .. 342,000 1945 .. .. .. .. .. .. 350,000 1946 .. .. .. .. .. .. 355,000

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