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مسلمي
sand
$
Ionourable Kembers,
I have received the approval of the Secretary
of State of the introduction into this Council of a bill
which when enacted will render liable to enrolment in
reserve force, to be known as the Hong Kong Defence
Reserve, all male British subjects of or over the age of
eighteen and under fifty-five years. Tintend to take this
action as soon as the necessary preparations have been made
for putting the ordinance into force on enactment: these
are now being undertaken. Copies of the bill will be laid
on the Table of the Council at this session and will then
be distributed to Honourable Members and to the Press.
The Ordinance when passed will be known as the Compulsory
Service Ordinance 1939.
It is intended, at the present time at any rate,
to apply this bill only to British citizens of European
descent: the exemptions applicable to that category will
be found in clause 3 of the bill. 11 members of the
local Defence Forces the Police and Fire Brigade will be
among the exempted.
It will be observed from clause 11 that men
enrolled in the Reserve may be assigned to a combatant
group or to a key-man group or to a general group for
essential services; and that it is provided that no person
of or over the age of 41 years will be assiguều to the
first against his will. The combatant group is sub-divided
into naval, military and air sections. The members of the
former will be assigned to the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer
Force and the members of the other two will be assigned
to the liong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps but transfers
between
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