ENGINEER-SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 6

ENGINEER-SOLDIERS

USEFUL SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE

A SPECIALIST UNIT?

Suggestions for tho better utilisation of engineers who may be called up in the military service ballots when tho Second Division is reached wero made to the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) yesterday, by a deputation from the New Zealand Socioty of Civil Engineers.

Mr. R. AV. Holmes, lately president of tho society, was tho first speaker. Ho said that at the recent meeting of the society in AVellington certain (members of tho Second Division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve had made suggestions that if the Second Division was to bo called up, the special qualifications of engineers should be utilised to the bpst advantage. TJp till tho present it appeared that very little discrimination had been shown in the utilisation of men of tho First Division who had special training, and members of tho society felt that if they were to be required to serve in the infantry their special qualifications would be entirely lost to the country. A considerable number of Second Division engineers were holding responsible positions, and it was suggested that their professional training and their experience in organisation fitted them for some special service. A proposal nia-de was that the Minister should communicate with the Home authorities to inquire whether if a special unit of engineers wero enrolled and dispatched from here their services could be utilised. Another point which the deputation wished to mention had to do with officers already at the front who in civil life were engineers. Some of these officers had-expressed a desire to visit some of the big engineering works in Europe before returning to New Zealand, and they wished to obtain leave at the conclusion of hostilities to enablo them to do so. It should bo acknowledged that engineers jfn New Zealand had no opportunity of seeing what eminent engineers had done in other parts of the world, and those men now on active service would have a splendid opportunity at tho conclusion of hostilities if they could obtain the necessary leave. It would not bo possible to return all the men to this country immediately after the cessation of hostilities, so fhatithe granting of leave should present no difficulties to the military authorities. An officer returning to Now Zealand had applied for leave, and had been turned down. He was informed that he could get his discharge in England, but that if lie took it lie would have to find his own passage back to the Dominion. This procedure seemed unnecessarily hard, as the leave could be granted without cost to the Government.

Mr. W. Ferguson said that it seemed to him of the greatest importance froth an efficiency point of view that the special training of any class of men should be utilised if possible. Engineers received a very special training, and it was desirable that this special training should bo utilised to tho best advantage. With regard to the second point raised ho was quite in sympathy with it> He would even go further, and say that engineer officers should be allowed to return by way of America if they so desired. It Was most desirable that our young engineers should have an opportunity of seeing w'orlcs of magnitude in "other countries. Other speakers for the 'deputation were Messrs. M. Cable and Mac Lean. The Minister's Reply. Tho Minister, replying, said that the first point raised was one which ho could not decide without consulting with the Commandant, and perhaps with the General Officer Commanding at tho front. He believed that moil with special training were allotted to units for which thoy were specially suited, but our engineer reinforcements were so small that room could not be found in them for all men who were trained engineers. He wishes to point out, however, that although a trained engineer might happen to be drafted to an infantry unit," his special knowledge was not entirely lost to the country. It was of immense advantage to have men in an infantry corps with special knowledge. As far as ho was ablo to do it, he would be only too pleased to utilise engineers as officers in the engineer reinforcements or as officers in tho infantry when room could be found for them, but under present arrangements tho number of officers appointed here to commissions in reinforcements was- comparatively small. He would be very pleased to discuss the question with the Commandant. Regarding the other point he did not seo that there should be any difficulty about falling in with tho proposal. It would not be possible to bring all the men back in less than nine months. The demobilisation schcmo had beon worked out, but not yot finally approved. It would bo more than nine months before all the could be brought back, in all probability it would be twelve months, possibly longer. Under such circumstances it should not bo difficult for the General Officer Commanding to givo an officer leave for a few months. Nor could bo see any difficulty ajiout men comiupback by way of America, except that they must bo prepared to pay for tho trip themselves. With regard to the special unit proposal he was veryanxious not to offer any moro units now l>ecauso of tho difficulty of keeping up reinforcements on them now. New Zealand had held firmly to the policy that no unit should be dispatched without a surety of reinforcements upon it until tho very end. and ho was moro than ever sure that this was a wise policy. Ho would consult with General Robin as to the possibility of 1.1:Impcrial Government requiring'tho services o? trained engineers, or the services of a special' unit of engineers from here.

ill-. Holmes: Wo make that proposal because we fool that there is no need for any unit of engineers in cur ow:> force.

Sir James Allen: I think we have plenty.of use for them. I should like to havo a.s many trained engineers as in tho ranks.