General Policy

It may be well first to refer to the general policy of the National Service Department in regard to postponement of service in the Armed Forces of students. War Cabinet has directed that in respect of male University students pursuing a full-time course of study in medicine, dentistry, science, engineering, architecture or agriculture who by reason of age and medical grading have a present liability for mobilisation in the Armed Forces, postponement of such service may be granted on appeal (made if necessary by the Director of National Service). No such postponement shall be continued unless the student pursues his studies diligently and effectively, nor shall any such postponement be granted or continued unless the Director of National Service is satisfied that it is in the National interest to maintain the minimum number of students in any particular course estimated to be necessary to meet the urgent requirements of the Armed Forces and of essential industry.

Law and Commerce students will not be permitted to take courses as full-time students except in cases of most exceptional merit.

Postponements of service granted to students approved by the Director of National Service, are subject to periodical review and there is no undertaking that postponements will be renewed year by year even though a student's academic performance may have been entirely satisfactory. Owing to changed circumstances it may not be possible in the public interest to continue postponements already granted. In these circumstances students would be well advised to make the best progress possible in each year so that if studies are necessarily interrupted by service in the Forces students will have covered at least a material portion of their studies.

Only in exceptional coses and unless there is good reason therefor can students who have completed their degree course be approved to pursue studies for some other degree. Further approval for proceeding to a Master's degree will be favourably viewed only in respect of students who have shown very special merit.

In view of the critical manpower situation during the 1943-1944 summer vacation and of the urgent need for labour in various industries, particularly during March which was the most critical month for seasonal activities, it became necessary to utilise the services of students through various industrial avenues and further to request the University of New Zealand to postpone the opening date of the first term for one month. As a result over 4,000 students were brought under direction, and I should like to express to those concerned my deep appreciation of their splendid service and co-operation. The nature of the work undertaken covered seasonal requirements of high priority including farming, orchards, vegetable growing, freezing works, dairy factories, engineering, wool store, medical, scientific, hospital, domestic, commerce. Government and other work of national importance. The table attached briefly summarises the allocation of student labour. The figures include some members of the teaching profession.