DEFENCE DEPARTMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 287, 28 August 1920, Page 7

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT

AIJE THERE. TOO ItANi' OFFICERS?

Somo interesting remarks nnent rScent criticism that the defence establishment of the Dominion is overburdened with an "uuduly large 6taft'of , oibcits were made-by Lic-ut.-Colonel J. L. blecman (Director of Military Training) in the course of a lecture which he delivered at, the Garrison Officers' Club lust inglt, . Examining tho distribution of teachers in the Education Department, Colonel Sleeman said it was -understood-that thw was based upon, a principle that there should be under 35 pupils to each teacher in the primary schools. If tliis was the case, It y&s obvious .that the permanent forces of , New Zealand were not in excess of requirements, but very consider--, ably less than actually required. In ad-dition,-it .must bo remembered that pupils or*'the Education Depai'taent at-, fended a common centre of instruction, whereas instructors oT the Defencc Department had to travel to many sitiSn centres in order to gain touch- with taeir trainees, often wljere no suitable accommodation for instruction existed. Unquestionably if was liope.'ess to contest that a permanent' force of a little over 300 in strength was too largo for the instructional training of over .60,000 trainees. The-New Zealand ■ Staff Corps possessed a total strength of under 100 elfcctivo officers, and somo 200 noncommissioned officers belonged to the permanent staff..'These officers and. n.c.o.'s were required to fill the many responsible positions connected with the organisation, ad-, ministration, and training of the force's ■and to assist with the actual training of 80,000 Territorials and over 30,000 Cadets. Thi& gave 600 Territorials and Cadets per officer and'39o Territorials and Cadets per. n.c.o , It. would not be conceded that this disclosed an unjustifiably large permanent stall.

Dealing with pay, Colonel Sleeman said the permanent officer of the New Zealand Forces was in severe disabilities when compared with .officers in tlie Imperial Army. For example, a, New Zealand lieu-tenant-colonel got JEGSO per* annum, whereas an Imperial officer,of the same Tank received ~£1240. per annum, while other ranks of the permanent forces got proportionately less pay tluji their fellow comrades in. the'. Imperial [Army. .Til a country offering the ononnous, possibilities of New Zealand, oflicers and n.c.o.'s who elected to serve. in its permanent forces had to sacrifice their chances of more remunerative employment.* Colonel Sleeman mentioned the casa.o£ one sen'ior officer who served in temporary employment with the permanent staff during tin war, who made more money within three months of his demobilisation' than he had made during three years' service with the Defence Forcc. 1 Many of the officers of the Staff ; Corps V ga.ve up good positions, in civil life, offering higher salaries and better financial prospect's,"in order to serve their, country as soldier's.