NO FACILITIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2920, 4 November 1916, Page 10

NO FACILITIES

ENLISTMENTS FOR THE NAVY

NEW ZEALANDERS DEBARRED

Recently a resident of Shannon wroto to the secretary of the Wellington branch of tho Navy League stating that he wished to join the Navy a ? f and asking if this was possible. J lie Navy League referred the matter to Paymaster D. J Brown, Iv.rt., who replied that "no such entries into liis Majesty"s Imperial Service arc made elsewhere than at a recruiting depot in tho United Kingdom, where men are being accepted for service, for tho period of hostilities only, up to the age of 38 years, provided that, they are able to .read and write and are generally medically fit " Paymaster Brown added that if the applicant wished to join the Boyal Australian Navy he should forward his application to tho district naval officer, Garden Island, Sydney. The secretary of the Navy League then wroto to the Minister of Deience_ (Hon. J. Allen) as follows: — "Wellington, October 12, 1916. —Sir, —I am forwarding herewith for your information copies of correspondence with regard to the enlistment of New Zealand men in His Majesty's Navy. It has occurred to me that some better opportunity should be afforded young men in this country to join the Navy than at present exists. I trust that the Government will take the subject into consideration.—l have the honour, etc:, (signed) It. Shallcrass." "In answer to your letter of'thol2th instant," wrote the Minister in reply, "I rogret that it does not seem possible lor us at the present'time to do anything with respect to enlistment in His Majesty's' Navy. Paymaster D. J. Brown lias indicated the position in his letter of October 3 to you, namely, that entries in the Imperial Navj; must bo made at a recruiting depot in the United Kingdom. Applicants desiring to join the Royal Australian Navy should send 'their applications to the district naval officer, Garden Island, Sydney. Unfortunately the New Zealand naval policy had not developed sufficiently when tho war broke out to place us in a position to recruit men for the Imperial Navy. I regret this exceedingly, and liopo that every effort will be used in the future to 6ee that opportunity will be available to our New Zealand youths_ to join in New Zealand for service with the New Zealand section of what ono hopes may be the great Imperial Navy of the future. —Yours faithfully (signed) J. Allen, Minister of Defence."

A Dominion reporter who made some further inquiries on the point ascertained that no provision is mado at the present time for, the enlistment of men in New Zealand for the ordinary services of tho Imperial _ Navy. The Now Zealand authorities, in fact would hesitate to grant a permit to any man who wished to lpavojthj Dominion for the purpose of joining the Navy, since if he. could complv with the physical standard demanded by the Admiralty he would 'be eligible for enlistment in. the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, where recruits aro urgently required.