APPEAL FOR MEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 270, 12 February 1941, Page 6

APPEAL FOR MEN

SHIPS' RADIO OPERATORS

TWO MONTHS' TRAINING

Aii appeal to youths behvcexi the ages oi' 18 and 20 and to men under 30 Avho are not fit for military service to join the mercantile marine as radio operators Avas made in a .statement issued by the Minister of Marine, the Hon. li. Semplc, and the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, It Avas explained by the Ministers that in the interests of the safety of shipping it was necessary that all overseas ships should carry three radio operators, and that coastal vessels, in Avhieh the duty of radio operators Avas at present carried out by the mate, should cany at least one operator. That Avould require the services of nearly 100 additional radio operators. To provide these men the Union Setam Ship Company of New Zeailand Ltd., had undertaken to train candidates in its wireless school in Wellington. The course Avould last about tAVO months, although candidates Avho already possessed some knoAvledgc of radio or Morse would probably be passed as qualified in n shorter period. At the end of the course qualified operators Avould take service in merchant ships in the ordinary waj r . Certificates to be granted to these operators would be provisional certificates and would be issued for the duration of the Avar only.

Candidates would receiA T e the AA T ages laid down in the existing award after being signed on in the shijjs. The Minister said the men Avho undertook this Avork would knoAA' they Averc performing AA r ar service as important and real as men in the fighting Candidates should Avrite to the manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Wellington. giA'ing their full name and address, age and stating Avhether they possessed any radio or Morse qualifications.