§ 15. Captain Duncanasked the Minister of Labour whether he will include on the Military Service (Hardship) committees a representative of smallholders in all areas where smallholders may be liable for call-up under the National Service Act.
§ Sir W. MoncktonNo, Sir. These committees decide applications for post-ponement of call-up according to principles of general application laid down in 1597 Regulations, and the members of the committee, other than the chairman, called to a particular sitting are selected from a panel without regard to the occupations of the applicants whose cases are to be heard.
§ Captain DuncanIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that there is particular hardship in the case of young men, who have or who are about to have a smallholding, in view of the fact that the economics of a smallholding do not allow them to hire alternative labour to work for them while they are away. Will he ask the hardship committees to take particular notice of these cases if representatives of the smallholders cannot be included on these committees, because we on this side of the House know that many cases of hardship are involved?
§ Sir W. MoncktonThere may be some confusion between postponement on hardship grounds and deferment. If my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to deferment, I will see whether anything can be done.