SURPLUS OF OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 94, 14 January 1918, Page 5

SURPLUS OF OFFICERS

A WAR OFFICE SUGGESTION

A surplus of officors has existed in tlio training camps of recent months—ever ' since by special order the Territorial officers in the First Division of the Expeditionary Force Reservo were' ordered to report for duty. It was the intention that a considerable number of these men should be required to surrender their rank, and leave with reinforcement drafts as non-commissioned officers, but there were obstacles to this procedure which have not yet been' surmounted. So many officers ; have been coming back from the iront for commissions in drafts to go forward that it has not been possible for these Territorial officors to be absorbed into the reinforcements. . . With the' object of making use or this surplus of officers the New Zealand Government applied to the War Office asking that a certain number of Territorial officers from Now Zealand might be utilised by the Imperial authorities for service either with the British Armv or in India.- After Ions; ' delay the War Offico have replied with another proposal: that tliny should take for service in the. British Army a certain number of our officers from tte front who have hod experience of active service. The effect of this ' would bo that some or all of the Territorial officers now awaiting commands might be posted to the reinforcements and that the Defence Department', here would get out of its difficulty The proposal has still to be considered by ihe New Zealand authorities, and'it may be that there' willbe objections to it I*. is possiblo that it 'will be considered that we should lose by parting with officers with active- service experience . and training, "to-replace Hhstn with 'Territorial officers untrained m war.