ARMY REORGANISATION

Chronicle (Levin), 17 January 1947, Page 4

ARMY REORGANISATION

-Press Association

Chance For Youug Men In -Early Retiring Age

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, Jan. 16. : The complete reoL'gaiiisatlon of the New Zealand military forees- involving the abolition of - distinptipris between various corps and changes in. the condi•tions of service in the New Zealand i'egular army was announced -by the Minister of Defenee (Hon. F. Jones) today. The regulations . eovering the new organisation were gazetted to* night. The following corps of the' New Zea» land military forees are dlsbanded: N.Z. Stalf Corps, N.Z. Permanent Staff, N.Z., Permanent Army Service -Odrps, gene.ral duty section of N.Z. Permanent Fo.rces, N.Z. Artillery, N.Z. kledieal Corps, N.Z. Veterinary Corps, N.Z4 Ordnance Corps. The following corps .are amalga* mated and redesignated: E.N.Z.A. and N.Z.A. become K.N.Z.A., N.Z.P.A.S.C. and N.Z.A.S.C. become N.Z.A.S., N.Z.A.O.C. and N.Z.O.C. becomd ' N.Z.A.O.C., N.Z.AALC. and . N.Z.M.C. become N.Z. A.M.C. New corps: The New Zealand Infantry Corps is formed aiid a new regiment, the New Zealand -Eegiment, is , formed as part of that corps. - ~ • ' The existing dosignation of the New Zealand Dental Corps is abolished and this unit is re-designated the N.Z. Army Dental Corps. Tfiis bring's the Dental Coi-ps in conformity with tiie nomenclature of other corps. The generals' Jist and -colonels7 liat are constituted as part of the . New "The new regulations are the restilt Zealand Forees. of a careful examination by the Army Board of the means to remedy anonialies and distinctions involved between the permanent and territorial units, ' ' stated the Minister. "The distinctions that existed in the past within the regular units and between the regular units and the territorial units have not been in the best interests of the ser-4 vi*e. " ■ The IMinister instanced the N.Z. f-!taff Corps and the N.Z. Permanent Gtafl' in which the officei's were in ohe corps and the other ranks in the other. Sueh a separation of oflicers and men was not desirable. The Minister stated^ too, that the ti tio N.Z. Btaff Corps h.dd been.misleading in that it did not indicate the nat.ure of the duties of all its members. The institution of a generals' list and a c'olonels' list brings the New Zealand procedure into conformity with tliat in t>he British Army and enables all generals, brigadiera and colonels, both regular and territorial, to be oosted toaether.

Changes in eonditious of promotion and of retireinent were also announced by the Minister. The promotion of officers in the N.Z. Permanent Forces up to and including the rang of major will be governed by length of service and above the raak of major by seleetion to complete establishments. Irrespective of iength of service no officer will be considered eligible for promotion until he has passed the necessary qualifying examinations and will require to be reported effieient ahd qualilied. Lieutenants will be promoted to captain after six years' commissioned service. Captains will be promoted to major afte.y seven years' service hn the rank of captain. Selections for promotion above the rank of major will be made with consideration of professional qualiikations, effieiency and charac ter. Only when these are approximately equal will consideration be given to length of service. Ofiieers for promotion will be required to be medieally lit for service in the field but in instanees where ofiieers suffering from. disabilities as the result of aetive service are concerned they may be promoted providing they are in other respects eligible. New conditions governing the retirement from the New Zealand military forces dre also announced for varying grades of ofiieers. On eompletion of the original period of enlistment warrant ofiieers, non-commissioned ofiieers and way> if reccmiiiiended by their pfiicer .eoiumandiiigj jre permitted.to reeiigage fof permfi|t-ei|f' service up.;;tQ the age of 45 years. Nd jprivate sdldief will 1ie perrnitted to re-engage unless he has qualilied for promotion. All w.o.'s n.c.o.'s and men will be diseharged on attaining the age of 45 years. Previously, stated the Minister, retireineht was at the age of 55 years irrespective of rank with extensions in certain circumstances. Those regulations were based on the provisions of the Superannuation Act in foxce at the time, bnt under the army superannuation order, .1944, a soldier compulsorily retired can now qualify for superannuation after 21 years' contributory service to the fund. It is essential, stated the Minister, that all regular ofiieers siiould be fit and qualilied for aetive service in their peaeetime rank or one rank higlier. It was amply conlinned in the recent war that 45 years is the maximum age at which a Lieut-Colonel can eompete with the rigours of aetive service. The iinmediate effeet of these now conditions, said Mr. Jones, will be to make a number of ofiieers and a few other ranks due for retiroment, but until replaeements are available these men cannot be released from the army.' The adoption of th graduated scale of ages for retirement, concluded the Minister, will remedy many defects, give more opportunity to well qualified men to obtain higli rank, and produce a mueh younger corps of oflicers than there has" been in former years.