New List of Certified Occupations.
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The Port of London Secures Favourable Treatment.
The Local Government Board, on Friday last, issued a new list of " Certified Occupations." This is known as Form R,94, and a remittance of 24., to Wyman and Sons, Ltd., 29, Bream's Buildings, Fetter Lane, E. C., will bring a copy, post free, to any applicant.
The Right of Military to Challenge.
The particular attention of Tribunals is directed to the following points in the Regulations and Instructions, in respect of men who are engaged in "Certified occupations" :—
"(a) When exemption is claimed for a man on the ground that he is in a certified occupation, he is entitled without further question to a certificate of exemption if the Tribunal are satisfied that his principal and usual occupation is a certified occupation ; except that "(b) A Military Representative may, on due notice, require a Tribunal also to consider the question whether, notwithstanding that the man is in a certified occupation, it is necessary to retain him in civil employment. If this .question is properly raised and the Tribunal are satisfied that
• it is not necessary in the national interest to retain the man, they are not to grant exemption on the ground that he is engaged in a certified occupation."
Age Limits do not Apply to Men who are Medically Unfit for General Service.
It is also pointed out, as bearing upon men in the same classifications, that :—
"Though a man in any of the occupations scheduled herein is not of an age or marital aindition that entitles him to be treated as in a certified-occupation, he is nevertheless to be so treated if, before his case has been decided by the Tribunal, he has been found, on examination by a Recruiting Medical Board, not to be fit for General Service (Category A)."
It is repeated that, with particular exceptions in .respect of agriculture and coal mining, and certain classes of engineering work, the specified age is that which any man had attained on the 4th April, 1916. • An important point, concerning the holding of certificates of exemption, is stated in the following terms :— "No man, whether attested or unattested, so long as he rightfully holds a certificate in connection with a War Service badge, at whatever date it was issued, and whether he still holds a badge or not, is liable to be called up for Service with the Colours." The previous list of "Certified Occupations," dated the 1st May, Form R.78, is superseded. We dealt with this form, and its accompanying regulations, in our issue of the 11th May. Readers and supporters of this journal are, accordingly, chiefly concerned to know what alterations, which affect them, are embodied in the new Form—R.94. General reservations for motor-lorry drivers and for steam-wagon stokers are. continued, unaltered. An important additional exemption is made under metal, engineering and shipbuilding trades, reading as follows :— " Other engineering works and ironfoundries, engaged in manufacturing or repairing machinery or plant for use in industry, all classes of workmen, without age limit if married, and not younger than 36 if unmarried."
The age limit for unmarried wheelwrights is now raised to 30—from 25, as is that for unmarried motoromnibus drivers. In the lubricating-oil and grease trades, no unmarried man below 41 is now -exempt, whilst the age limit for married men is fixed at 25.
Port Labour Committees.
Very important provisions are adopted concerning the transport trades, and particularly as regards. the Port of London. For the Port of London, it is specifically stated that "cartage and/or motor-haulage contractors, as far as their business is connected with the Port," are exempt, and similar exemption is given to "men employed in any capacity, manual or clerical, in connection with the business of cartage and/or motor-haulage and contracting," It is to be noted that, for other ports, where Port,Labour Committees have been set up, as -to the existence of which committees information may be obtained from the Emplcpyrnent,Department of the Board of Trade, Queen Anne's Chambers, Westminster, S.W., no specific reference is made to cartage or motor-haulage employers or employees. The printed exemptions here read as follow :
" Dock and wharf labourers and other work men engaged in transport work of ports, docks, wharves and waterways ; persons, excluding clerks, employed on the maintenance or opera tion of ports, docks, wharves and waterways. '
The instructions particularly repeat that departmental managers, foremen and overlookers, even if they be under the age of 30, are to be given special consideration. It is also pointed out that, with but few exceptions, a man must have been in his present class of employment on the 15th August, 19)5, in order successfully to contend that he is now in a" Certified Occupation."