It was intimated on Wednesday that the Minister of National
Service, under the Military Service Act, 1918, had made an Order withdrawing exemptions held wholly or partly on occupational grounds by certain men of various ages, in a large number of occupations, and in medical categories A, Bl, and Cl, or Medical Grades 1 and 2, and medically unexamined men. The wide scope of the Order, which was published in the daily Press on Thursday, is evident. The trades and occupations affected, with the respective birth-years to which the "clean cut" applies, run to about a column of small type in the Times. It may be noted now that applications for renewal of exemptions withdrawn by this Order may be made up to May 1st—the withdrawal dating from April 24th—and can be made on personal grounds only, and therefore not by an employer. The Order does not apply to coal miners, transport workers, or holders of Protection Certificates. That it is part of a thorough application of the " comb " is clear. Its full effect we must wait to learn.
Previous page
