WHAT MILITARY TRAINING WILL MEAN IF CARRIED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 16, 25 July 1949, Page 5

WHAT MILITARY TRAINING WILL MEAN IF CARRIED

Polling booths at Whakatane for the referendum on compulsory military training, on which question electors will vote on August 3, have not yet been appointed, but it is expected they will be similar to those used for the liquor and gaming polls. Registrations on the .rolls have already closed and although the full figures are not available the Bay of Plenty supplementary roll has increased considerably. This roll is to be used in conjunction with the main 1946 roll and the one printed earlier in the year. The day. of the poll is not to be a half holiday but employers are required to allow employees adequate time, not exceeding twb hours, to cast their t votes without deducting any pay from wages. •• 18-Year-Olds Only In the event of compulsory military training being adopted every male British subject residing in New Zealand will be required to regisoffice of the De-

partment oirLabour on reaching the age of 18. When registering each person will be able to indicate the service preferred for training, Army, Navy, or Air Force. Youths already past the age of 18 years will not be affected by the scheme. The Prime Minister has stated that by taking in youths attaining the age of 18 about 9,000 would begin training each year. A division would be trained in about three years. Following registration, the National Service Department will arrange for medical examination of the applicant, the serving of an enlistment notice and the hearing of any appeal for postponement of training. The National Service Department will then hand over the recruit’s papers to the appropriate Service. As far as is compatible with the requirements of each Service, the recruit will be posted in accordance with the preference he has indicated.

14 Weeks’ Training The appropriate Service will

then issue a notice calling the recruit up for a period of 14 weeks’ -full-time training which will comin the year following that*in which the recruit reached the age of 18 years. It is proposed to hold two camps for Army trainees in each year. One will be held in the summer months, and the other in the winter months. The latter period has been selected in order to meet the requirements of the farming industry and those engaged in seasonal occupations. Naval and Air Force recruits will

be called up for their period of fulltime training in a manner similar to that proposed by the Army, with the possible qualification that it may prove desirable to spread this training over three intakes instead of two. Six Years Heserve Following the trainee’s attendance at 14 weeks’ full-time camp, he will be posted to a Unit of the Territorial Force where he will be required to serve for three years, carrying out in each year 14 days in camp and six days other teaincamps and equip-' ment parades). At the end of three years he will be posted to the Reserve, where he will remain for six years. No training is required while on the Reserve, but the reservist must notify any change of address.