DEFENCE FORCES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 290, 3 September 1919, Page 7

DEFENCE FORCES

' SIR JAMES AHLEN QUESTIONED. .When the report of 'the Defence Department was presented to the House of Representatives by Sir James Allen, Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) asked what .was going to become of tho very many officora . -ttow in the service * \ '. Sir James Allen said that room would bo found for ,spmo of the returned officers in the'"permanent forces. : Ho boi lievod there were! about forty vacancies to be filled, and returned officers applying for appointment too going to be tested in a training camp. The officers riot receiving permanent appointments would bo gazetted out of the Expedition- . nry Force. The time was not opportune for ii discusion regarding the .Territorial , force.. He would have soniothing to '■ say later regarding that force,'but in any xase there'would bo no ohango in the Territorial system before July, 1920. Mr. Witty asked why Cadets should be fined for tailing to attend drills, often ■under great difficulty, when the officere in charge, of tho drills sometimes failed to make appearance. The Minister of Defence replied that ho was sure officers would be absent'from drills only under exceptional'conditions. A flooded'river might prevent an inetruc- ; tor reaching a parade. . • Mr. W.itty: Not in the cases I know. ,i Sir James Allen: I don't know what Cases you refer to. Captain T. E. Y. Seddon (Westland) enid many of tho returned officers -would bo applicants' for tho vacant positions on the staff. Would it bo possible to givo ft fair, trial to several hundred applicants in a camp, and. would officers, w.ho ha<l just returned or, ha'd not .yet' lTturned have the opportunity to apply? v The Minister of. Defence- said that officers still in. England. could apply by . oablegram.. Officers in New' Zep.land had the opportunity to put in applications.