NAVAL FORCES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1939, Page 10

NAVAL FORCES

ACTIVE PERSONNEL

NEW ZEALAND MEN

A great deal has been done during the past year to implement the1 policy of consolidating the elements, such as repair, training, and storing facilities, essential to/ effective progress in the evolution of a naval service, Commo* dor£-H. E/Horan, Chief of the Naval Staff, states in his report on the New Zealand Naval Forces, which was presented to the House of Representatives ! today by the Minister of Defence (the j Hon. F. Jones). j Commodore Horan states that the I administrative machine has been adjusted to meet the demands of a forward policy. Progress is restricted in some . directions by lack of qualified staff, but steps have been taken to build up the organisation on sound lines by laying plans for the development of a post-recx-uit-training centre, for the extension of recreation facilities, for the reconstruction of the depot ship, for the entry of officers, and for the appointment of a professional civilian staff. "The administration of the New Zealand Naval Forces was reorganised in June, 1938," the report states. "The Minister continues to be president of the Naval Board, and the Chief of the Naval Staff is now resident at Wellington. The Commodore in command of the squadron has ceased to be a member of the board, and the dockyard establishments have been placed under the direct control of the Naval Board. NEW ZEALAND OFFICERS. "Careful consideration has been given to the question of entering New Zealand for service as commissioned officers in the New Zealand Naval/Forces. A policy has been worked out, and it is hoped that an announcement will be made in due course. "On March 31. 1939, there were 7 officers and 688 ratings borne on the active list, all of whom (except 16) had been entered or recruited in New Zea- • land. The overall increase of New Zaland ratings borne during the year is 51. The ships' companies were completed by 72 officers and 619 ratings loaned from the Imperial Service. "The ratings entered during the year included 44 boys and nine short-service oi'dinary seamen for the seaman and communication branches,. 30 stokers, and 16 ratings for miscellaneous branches, making a total of 99. Recruiting has continued to be very satisfactory in the seaman and stoker branches, but it has not been possible to attract to the service fully-qualified | tradesmen for the artificer and artisan

bx'anches. A proposal to introduce a scheme for the training of naval apprentices has been held in abeyance owing to lack of accommodation, etc., at the base. The matter is, however, being looked into following upon a decision to investigate the possibility of building a training establishment ai Devonport.

j "Sixty-one New Zealand ratings took their discharge during the year. A large number of New Zealand ratings has been sent to the schools of the Royal Australian Navy, and ' a very limited number to naval schools in the United Kingdom, for special courses of instruction in technical subjects. "The 'interchange' of New Zealand and Royal Navy ratings in th» respective services under a scheme introduced in 1935 has been abandoned owing to the administrative difficulties involved and to the fact that the scheme absorbed man-power which , "ould be more usefully employed at the present time. An opportunity is given, however, to a limited number of outstanding ratings of the New Zealand Naval Forces to serve in shi ;s of the Royal Navy for periods oi' approximately twelve months."

The strength of the Royal Naval Reserve is now 14 officers and 172 ratings, an increase of one officer and 28 ratings during the past year. The strength of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve is 78 officers and 610 ratings.