MILITARY POLICE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 44, 21 February 1930, Page 10

MILITARY POLICE

TRAINING AT TRENTHAM

Trentharn military camp, where tlie Samoa Military Police liavo been in training for the past week, is at present a busy place. There are 246 in camp all told, made up as follows: 5 officers, 13 n.e.o.'s, and 22S'rank and file.

i During the past week the greater portion of the time has been devoted to physical training, and the progress that lias been made with the work is regarded as very satisfactory. Of the 228 recruits, 40 have never received any military training previously, and of the 40 only 15 have lived in New Zealand during- the period for which they were liable for training under the Defence Act. In addition to their physical training, the men have beeu receiving infantry training..

A very high standard of physical fitness is demanded fer the service in Samoa, which is likely to last up to twelve months, and a large number of recruits who offered themselves did not pass the stiff medical examination. To give an indication of •• the standard aimed at, figures relative to men recruited in Wellington are interesting. Of 146 recruits sent to Trenthain by the civil police, to whom the recruits first applied, only SO were accepted by the military authorities, and of these SO who underwent the final medical examination 14, were declared medically unfit for tile service.

Major N. W. MD. Weir, N.Z.S.C., of Wellington, is the Officer Commanding, and he has the following officers: Captain G. Dittmer, M.C., N.Z.S.C. (Paeroa); Captain A. Bongard, M.C., N.Z.S.C. (Gisborue); Captain A. W. Greville, N.Z.S.C. (lately of India); Lieutenant J. V. M. Cauty, M.M. (Wellington), and . Lieutenant . A. H. Fear (Wellington).

Lieutenant Cauty holds a commission as captain in the Wellington Battalion, and with Lieutenant Fear has been ap-' pointed to two of the four commissions available for territorial officers. * Captain Cauty, who resides at Silverstream, is a well-known rifle^ shot. He at present holds the Wellington Regimental District rifle championship.

Lieutenant Fear was last year's Wellington nominee for the Rhodes Scholarship, and is a teacher at the Roseneath School. The Education Department, on the recommendation of Miv W.-. B. Brown, headmaster at Roseneath, has given Lieut. Fear leave of absence for 12 months. He was commander of A company, 2nd Wellington Battalion. ■

Thirteen instructors of the New Zealand Permanent Staff will be included in the police party.