NAVAL RESERVE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19177, 7 December 1927, Page 7

NAVAL RESERVE.

for coast defence. CAPTAIN" MIDDLETON INTER VIEWED.

Captain J. E. Middleton, D.5.0., E.N. (retired), recently appointed Director of the New Zealand Royal Naval Reserve, arrived in Christchurch vesterdav and spent the day getting'in touch V I t . h ? s ? interested in the formation of a division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in Christchurch. Captain Middleton, in the course of a chat with a representative of The Pjiksj yesterday evening, said that his first concern was to find suitable men that can be appointed officers, and to assist him in this matter a local committee, purely advisory and non-official, is to be set up,

An enthusiast to his finger-tips is Captain Middleton. Five years ago, after active service in the South African and the Great Wars, he came to the Dominion, having, as he thought, said good-bye to the sea and all pertaining to it. Two years and a half ago he formed the Auckland Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and today he finds himself in the thick of it again; and glad to be so, one gathers after a few minutes' talk with him. Following the success of the Auckland Division, the Government decided to extend the work to Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and has placed a sum on the Estimates for the present financial year for that purpose. Object of the Reserve. The fact that in an island country the first line of defence is on the sea provides the .chief reason for the establishment of the Naval Reserve. It is hoped to build up a system of local naval including mine-sweeping, and tho patrolling of the entrances to the main harbours. The experience in Auckland, where there is a waiting list of those anxious to join, is that New Zealand is sufficiently a nation of sea people that no difficulty is anticipated in getting sufficient volunteers in the other centres. The ranks are to bo recruited from those who have passed out of the Senior Cadets, preference being given to those with yachting and boating experience. Training in tho Naval Reserve will bo allowed in lieu of training in the Territorials. Recruits are called upon to serve for five years. The training is varied, the main work being directed to seamanship, knotting and splicing, rifle and squad drill, 4-inch and Lewis guils, signals, rule of the road. In Auckland, in addition to the above-mentioned, seagoing training is carried out in cruisers of the New Zealand Division or in the trawler Wakakura. The trawler is fitted with a 4-inch gun, the latest appliances for mine-sweeping, and has accommodation for two officers and 20 men, in addition to her regular crew. The Immediate Objective. Captain Middleton's immediate objective is to secure suitable fficers. For comnianding officer he wants a man who has been an officer in the Navy during the war, and he hopes to get at least eight other officers, preferably with war experience in the Navy, a medical officer, and an accounts officer. A suitable ball for training purposes is also required. The result of enquiries made by Captain Middleton from the Headquarters' Staff in Wellington indicated that the King Edward Barracks are absolutely crowded, and make it necessary that tho Naval Division should look elsewhere. Captain Middleton hopes that, in time, two or three companies Trill be established in Christchurch and vicinity. The high tradition possessed by the British Navy in respect of discipline is to be upheld to the fullest possible oxtent in the Naval Reserve. It is not intended to call for volunteers till about February next. As to the establishment of Sea Cadets, Captain Middleton hopes to see this taken in hand later. Obviously the Naval Reserve of adult volunteers must be established first, so that there will be in existence a body to which the Sea Cadets in course of time can be drafted. Captain Middleton is aware of the keen interest shown by members of the Canterbury Branch of the Navy League in the Sea Cadets, but does not think it feasible to start training them until the Naval Reserve has been thoroughly established.