SERVICE IN R.N.V.R.

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 13

SERVICE IN R.N.V.R.

RECRUITING SCHEMES

ONE SUSPENDED

References which appeared in certain newspapers oil Thursday, October 3, regarding yachtsmen studying navigation with a view. to obtaining their yachtmaster's certificates and giving the impression that this would be a qualification for entry into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, were referred to today by the Minister of Defer.ee (the Hon. F. Jones). Mr. Jones stated that he desired at once to make it quite clear that the acquisition of the New Zealand certificate of competency as master of a pleasure yacht does not confer :.ny right or claim to be accepted for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, either in New Zealand or for service in the. Royal Navy. , . • ■ ■

"The position is as follows," said Mr. Jones. "Two special schemes of

:. acruiting, known as Scheme 'A' and Scheme 'B,' were announced by me on June 7 last, and full details were published in the advertising columns of the principal newspapers of the Dominion on the same date. It was clearly stated in the announcements that entries for those two schemes would close on June 29. It was one of the qualifications for Scheme 'A' that candidates hold the New Zealand Yachtmaster's Certificate or an equivalent, and a number of applicants stated that they did not at the time possess the certificate but that they were working for it and hoped shortly to pass. These men were informed that if, and when, they succeeded in passing they would be considered, but no promise was given that they would b* accepted. SCHEME DISCONTINUED. "Since then the Admiralty has informed the Government that it does not intend to continue to enter officers under Scheme 'A,' and it Is the present intention therefore not to continue entries under Scheme 'A' after the 50 originally asked for by the Admiralty have been obtained. That number has now almost been reached, and it is unlikely therefore that more than a very few men who have only started to work for a yachtmaster's certificate since the I scheme was originally announced in jjune can be accepted, and even so only candidates who applied to the Naval Secretary before June 29 can be considered."

Mr. Jones added that in a few cases of men who have applied since June 29, stating that they were working for their certificate, they have been informed that recruiting was closed but that should they eventually acquire the certificate it would be noted in the Navy Office in case, at any future date, recruiting under this scheme or a similar scheme should be reopened, but it should be clearly understood that this implies no promise or undertaking of acceptance. .