A CALL FOR THE NAVY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2821, 12 July 1916, Page 8

A CALL FOR THE NAVY

CHANCE FOR NEW ZEALAND SAILORS YACHTSMEN AND ENGINEERS Seafaring men generally arc keenly interested in Uio proposed formation of what, is tunned the "Royal Naval Volunteer Itcsorvo" in Now Zealand. Merchant officers, engineers, and yachtsmen have been eager to find out it there is a possibility of appointment 'under the. Admiralty, and it now seems probable that their wish may be granted. Captain A. Whitney, of Auckland, has been in communication with tho Admiralty on the matter, and has ascertained that the Admiralty has sent a committee to enrol men in Canada and Australasia. A cablegram has been received advising that the Patrol Committee is now in Victoria, British Columbia, and will later be in New Zen land to interview yachtsmen desirous ol' obtaining appointments, as to their suitability fur commissions in the Hoya.l Naval Volunteer Reserve. Captain Whitney, who has been in Wellington interviewing His Excellency Iho Governor and Ministers, informed a Dominion representative yesterday that already applications had been received .from seventy-four merchant captains, 'officers, engineers, and yachtsmen. A number of these have been training for over a year. Those who havo the nece.ssary qualifications and live years' good references may Ik shipped to England by the Imperial authorities as soon as tho New Zealand Government can arrange passages on the transports. Other applicants. Captain Whitney pointed out, will need .to await the arrival of the Naval Commission. In tho interim, Captain Whitney is acting as organiser, with the assistance of Captain Alaclndoe, of the Merchant: Serviro Guild, Wellington, and applications of those qualified to servo in the British Admiralty will bo received by these gentlemen. Good Sailors Scarco, Discussing 'tho project, Captain. Whitney said that most peoplo 111 New. Zealand wuro awaro that the Admiralty had bean short ot men. It took a number of years to train suitable' men, and there wore only a very limited supply in Great Britain and her wlonios. 111 tnis respect New Zealand was fortunate, having, due to her insular character, a largo proportion of suitable men, engaged in seafaring life, either professionally or as amateurs. Up to tho present, continued Captain Whitney, the Minister of Defenoe seemed to have ignored tho naval side, aiid 118 a consequenco the services of those highly-trained captains, officers, engineers, and yachtsmen who had offered to servo their country in the capacity they would be most useful in, had be*)ti entirely lost. Many had been sent to the front as infautryinon. "I't has takeu many years of hard work to train the9B merchant service officers and engineers, anil to allow them to go to the front as infantrymen when their services are so valuable for naval work seems to me," said Captain Whitney, "to be quits wrong, especially as it ivould be quite impossible at any cost to replace them by undertaking the training of others. The Prime Minister has promised to look into the matter with the Minister of Defence."

Captain Whituey cited the caso of q Cantain Hales, who was rejected in New Zealand as being unfit for military service, but who went Home at his own expense, and is now sailing under Admiralty orders. "Surely it is not business," contended Captain "Whitney, "to let highly-trained men go away as infantrymen when thoy might with advantage bo sent to England, ami there, after a short course of training, enter tho Admiralty service. There is already in force in New Zealand, an Act which on. ables tho Minister of Defence, if lie chooses, to onrol merchant captains, officers, and engiueers and seamen in tho New Zealand Naval .Reserve, and in my opinion this might have been done long ago without any cost to the country, and men who volunteeral for Irr/Ce'rial service could have been dispatched Home. In assisting tho Imperial. Government by organising 'these forces, we shall at tho same time bo buildiug up onr own navai defence, the men m the meantime being loaned to Great Britain/'