Certified Occupations.
Page 10
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Changes of Interest to Users of Commercial Motors.
The Local Government Board has ,put into circulation, under date the 23rd June, forms 1.136 and R.137, in respect of modifications of earlier regulations in respect of certified occupations, for the guidance and instruction of local Tribunals. The new lists, of course, concern only questions of exemption which come before Tribunals, and do not affect the Schedule of Protected Occupations (31.M. 130), for which latter scheme the Ministry of Munitions is responsible.
Where to Buy the New Regulations.
The new lists have been prepared by the Reserved Occupations Committee, and are issued under the authority of the Director-General of National Service. They replace the corresponding lists dated the 1st February last. Copies can be obtained, price lid. each (post free), from the usual official publishers, H.M. Stationery Office, Imperial House, Kingsway, W.C. 2, or 28, Abingdon Street, S.W. 1, or 37, Peter Street, Manchester, or 1, St. Andrew's Cresecent, Car diff, or 23, Forth Street, Edinburgh. In Ireland, copies can be obtained from E. Ponsonby, Ltd. 116, Grafton Street, Dublin. Not a few of our readers, we expect, will desire to obtain original copies.
Cl Men.
It is important to note that, on and after the 23rd July, men in category Cl, who are below the age limits stated in the lists, may no longer be treated as being in a, certified occupation.
Present Exemptions Lapse Automatically.
Any certificate of exemption in the possession of a man, issued by a Tribunal on the ground of his being in a certified occupation, automatically and immediately lapses after the occupation ceases, either wholly or in part, !to be certified. Any man who wishes to appeal on other grounds should lodge his application with the local tribunal on or before the 6th July. „ Right of Appeal by Military.
It is important to observe that the military representative is now entitled, without prior notice, when any application or appeal comes before a local Tribunal, to claim, notwithstanding that the man is in a certified occupation, it is no longer necessary in the national interests that he should continue in civil employment. The decision is wholly at the discretion of the Tribunal, but, if the Tribunal decides in favour of the military representative any application for exemption must be finally refused.
Changes in Ages.
The following are the principal changes which we believe will be of interest to readers of this journal :— SINGLE MEN.
Enginemen (including drivers of works locomotives), raised from 20 to 31.
Carters, lorryinen and draymen, if employed or engaged in carrying heavy goods to or from railways, docks, wharves or warehouse, age limit raised to 27: all other "power Carters," viz., those employed or engaged as public carriers, those employed or engaged in. wholesale distribution in the food trades, and others riot carting toeor from private houses, are subject to an increase of age limit from 30 to 41, i.e., no single men of military 'age are, exempt by reason of their occupations.
Transport trade (for ports not under Port Labour Committees), permanent or regular staff (excluding e40
clerks) dock'labourers, wharf labourers and men employed in warehouse or other -storage premises, age' raised from 25 to 31.
• • ` MARRIED MEN.
Steam boiler firemen, age raised from 27 to 31.
Carters, lorrymen and .draymen1 new age limit of 27, for those employed or engaged in conveying heavy , goods to or from railways2 docks, wharves and ware-, , houses, and new age limit of 31. (instead of 27) for all the other categories (see under single men).
Transport trades (categories as above, under single men), age limit raiSed from 25 to 31. • Motor-omnibus drivers, age limit raised from 27 , to 31.
Departmental Managers, Heads of Departments• and Foremen.
It is important to note that the age limit for foremen, departmental managers and overlookers, has in almost all cases been raised to a minimum of 31 for: both single and married men. In the case of a motor-omnibus company, the age limit for a head of department or foreman, if single, is 41, i.e., no man' of military age is exempt by virtue of his occupation.
Date of Age.
It should be observed that the age of any person concerned is to be taken as that on the 4th April, 1916. It is also interesting to note that, unless in wholly-exceptional circumstances, no man under 31 years of age, who has been, found fit for general service or for garrison duty abroad, will be allowed, on and after the 23rd July, to be recommended by a tribunal for garrison duty at home.
A note to the tribimals points out that, if the effect of the new lists is to take a man out of the list of certified occupations, exemption should not be granted to him unless an exceptionally-strong case of individual indispensability is made out, and the • tribunal is satisfied that the business in which the • man is engaged should, in the national interests, ' receive special consideration.
Protection.for Charsa-batics.
We might perhaps conclude by reminding those of our readers who are interested, that motor charsh.,-leancs, if used in connection with mutition work,. enjoy special protection, as do men (except unskilled • men), who are engaged in manufacturing, erecting or repairing machinery or plant for them. .
Proprietors and Managers.
Proprietors and managers of any considerable business of "real national importance" are, it is repeated, to be given exemption from military service. Men of less than 30 years of age are as a rule net to be so regarded by tribunals.