PROMOTIONS IN THE FIELD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2892, 3 October 1916, Page 9

PROMOTIONS IN THE FIELD

. MORE OPPORTUNITIES ' CHANCES FOR COMMISSIONS HERE REDUCED Ever sinoe the early months of the war, there have been complaints from men of thp Main Body of the N.Z.E.F., and of the earlier lteinforoement drafts, that they have 110 opportunities for promotion, that the aending forward , irom New Zealand of" a full complement of ofliuors with every drafi olbses all avenues for promotion to commissioned rank in the field. Something more is to be done to eatiafy this very strong demand lot* opportunities of promotion for the men. who havo seen considerable active service.: • "We are extending .tho opportunities for obtaining commissions to men serving at the front," said the Defence Minister, referring to this subject yes--tcrday. "Hitherto our arrangement lias beeu for iivs New Zealandora per month to take commissions in- tho Imperial Army, and for six non-commis-sioned officers per month to come.back to take commissions hero, and for sis non-commissioned officers to be given commissions at tho front. Now we have agreed to allow General Godley to send back twelve officers per month for training- with the Reinforcements. This will, of ' couree,. greatly reduce tho opportunities for getting; commissions in tho'; lieinforcoment drafts here. Previously the men sent back have , come as N.C.O.'s, receiving their commissions in this country. .- Under , the. now arrangement the twelve .will come back as officers. . They will not- necessarily be new appointe'es to commissions. Some of them may bo officers who have roceivod a slight' wound,- or who require a period of rest from active cam- . paigning. "This is to satisfy the_ continuous demand for more>-commissions that comes from the front. I think we have had good reasons for-our past-policy of appointing officors here. We could not kill our. Territorial, forco by, nig; to ■ take Territorial officers. We could not have put these officers into the ranks, and if wo had refused to take them as officers we, would have prevented-them-altogether from going in our Reinforcements drafts. We havo ' a rule,: however, that we will not. take a. Territorial officer unless he has had' 1 twelve months' service as an officer ,in the Territorials." - . •