APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2779, 25 May 1916, Page 6

APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS

HERE OR AT THE FRONT? ! KEEPING THE BALANCE EVEN STATEMENT BY HON. J. ALLEN Earlv in the session Mr. A. S. Malcolm suggested to the Government by way of a question addressed to the Defence Minis.er that no more officers should be seat forward with Reinforcements, and that the men should be sent on the voyage in charge of transport officers only. He uiged that tho present arrangement, by which officers were given commissions here and S9nt with every draft, made it impossible for non-commissioned officers and men to get promotion at the front. The Minister's reply was that tho prosent arrangement was to send one officer to forty men, which was the scale laid down by the Imperial authorities. It noi considered that increased efficiency Mould be produced by bringing the .proposal into force; in fact, it was considered that it would not.be practicable. Discussing the Minister's reply in the House yesterday, Mr. Malcolm contended that the present system was bad, and that for the good of the Army in the field, and in justice to the men who had borne the stress of war, the forces at the front should bo officered by men who had had experience of actual fighting rather than by young and inexperienced men from here. In this contention he "'lis supported by several other members nf the House. Mr. Anderson raised a kindred question that officers returning from the front did not got seniority in the Territorials over officers who remained at home.

The Defence Minister made a very full statement in reply. He referred' first all to the point raised by Mr. Anderson All the commissions held in the Expeditionary Forces, he said, were temporary commissions, and were for the Expeditionary Forces only, and for- the length of the war. The reason for this was that at the end of the war the whole question of commissions would have, to Ire considered, in snoli a way as to do justice to the Territorial , officers who remain hem. to the staff. who .want to go to the front, but who have to remain here, and to the officers serving at the front. No promotions were being given, to officers of the staff. All promotions were being held over until after the war, when the claims -pf all could be considered —the claims of those who went.to the front and the claims of those who had to stay here. This was the only fair thing that could be done. If the commissions granted at the front were made permanent, the result would be the overcrowding of our lists of officers, and the Government must also consider the men compelled lo 6tay at home to carry out important duties here.

Referring to the other question he said that he desired to remove som# misunderstanding which apparently existed. He understood that the member for Clutha suggested that we should tease to send any more officers from New Zealand. "And yet, sir," said Mr. Allen, "in my last letter from General Godlcy at the front, he writes, 'I am woefully short of officers.'"

Mr. Wilford: Why don't you tell the public some of these things!' Mr. Allen said that ho had referred to this matter oyer and over again, and thitt lis had given to the Press extracts from almost every letter he had received from General Godley. However, he knew that it was impossible for him to satisfy the member for Hutt.

An hon. member: He wants to be in the Ministry. That's why lie is dissatisfied.

Another honourable member: He would bo satisfied if ho had your job. Mr. Allen said that the appointment of officers to the Reinforcements had also been _ carefully considered. Ho .admitted, that it was a difficult matter to assess the proportion as between New Zealand'and the front and to keep a fair balance. Honourable members would know that when the Expeditionary Force went away the' G.O.C. was given power to replace 50 ,pcr cent, of the casualties among his men by promotion from the ranks. In many instnnoes this was carried out; in other cases it was impossible to carry it out. In addition to this the G.O.C. was advised that the Government woro prepared to accept from among soldiers returned from the front sis nominations per month, for commissions in the Keiuforcements. These six commissions had been granted every month since Febriiary, when the scheme came into operation, in addition to this another six men who had seen service at the front had of late been returned to New Zealand from Egypt in the Reinforcements. Recently it had been arranged that these commissions should be granted at the front without the necessity of sending men back to New Zealand. In addition to all these, the G.O.C. had authority to recommend five New Zealand non-ommissioned officers or men for commissions in the Imperial Forces. Mr. Jennings: How many have received them? . .

Mr; Allen: I should think ten. Mr. Jennings: How many have been blooked? Mr. Allen: Oh, I can J t tell you. The scheme only started two or three months ago. So, bo continued, the G.O.C. had power to promote.at tho front sufficient officers to replace 50 per cent, of the casualties, and in addition 17 officers per month. As evidence of tho great caro taken in the-(selection and promotion of officers in New Zealand he would read two extracts from a letter from ' General Godley. On March 21 General Godley wrote: ,"I have seen Seddon, .Downio Stewart, and young Wilford, and all three seemed to bo making good officers. I am very well satisfied with tho officers we have been getting lately, and I think the training of officers in New Zealand does great credit to your system and the work, of the staff in New Zealand." General'Godley wrote also: "There is <i quite fair and satisfactory balanco maintained in tho appointment of officers between those coming from Now Zealand ■and those looking for commissions here." This was the report of the officer commanding at the front, who hcul always been pulling for power; to grant commissions at the front. Now General Godley was satisfied with the authority given him. Mr. Allen read also a inomorandum from Brigadier-General Robin on the scheme for the appointment and training of officers in New Zealand.