H—ll

(6) The final composition of the draft of displaced persons from Europe which arrived in New Zealand in June, 1949, is set out hereunder : 104 widows with one child .. .. 208 101 families .. .. .. .. 339 Elderly persons .. .. .. 97 Single men .. .. .. .. 162 Single women .. .. .. . - 129 Orphan children .. .. .. .. 6 941 Section 3—Military Training Act, 1949 (1) Early in 1949 the question of compulsory military training became a very live issue and the Government decided to take a referendum on the question. This referendum was taken on 3rd August, 1949, and resulted in an overwhelming majority for compulsory military training, the voting being : for the scheme, 534,031 ; against, 160,998. (2) Legislative authority for the implementation of the compulsory military training scheme is contained in the Military Training Act, 1949, which was passed on the 20th October, 1949. After full investigation and consideration of the administrative procedure adopted in the United Kingdom where the Ministry of Labour and National Service is responsible for the registration, medical examination, and calling-up of persons liable for service, it was decided that a similar procedure should be followed in New Zealand. The Military Training Act, 1949, accordingly places on the Department of Labour and Employment the responsibility for the general administration of the military training scheme up to the stage that those liable are made available to the Services for calling up and training. This differs from the procedure in force in New Zealand during the late war, when the responsibility for medical examination was entrusted to the Department of Health which was assisted administratively by the military authorities. (3) The principal provisions of the Act are : (i) Persons Liable Under the Act. —The Act imposes a liability for service in the Armed Forces on male British subjects who are ordinarily resident in New Zealand and who attain the age of eighteen years on or after the Ist November, 1949. Certain classes of persons, as specified below are not liable to be called up for service. (ii) Persons Who Are Not Liable for Service. —The following persons are not liable for service nor to register under the Act:— (a) A person whose presence in New Zealand is occasioned solely by reason of the fact that he is employed in the service of a Government of a Commonwealth country other than New Zealand. (b) A regular minister of any religious denomination, or a regular member of any religious order. (Note.—Theological students are not exempted from registration.) (c) A mental defective. (d) A person who is totally blind. (e) A person in receipt of an invalid's benefit. (iii) Periods of Service. —Persons to whom the Act applies are liable to be called up to serve in the Armed Forces for — (a) Fourteen weeks' whole-time service ; and thereafter, (b) Three years' part-time service. Upon completion of whole-time and part-time service, a person is posted to the Reserve for six years.

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