THE SPECIAL FORCE

Evening Star, Issue 23377, 21 September 1939, Page 3

THE SPECIAL FORCE

DESTINATION QUITE UNCERTAIN MAY BE FOR DEFENCE OF THIS COUNTRY [From Of it Parliamentary Reporter.} WELLINGTON, September 20. “ I do not Enow whether the special force will leave these shores,” remarked the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, when discussing various questions of pay and conditions in reply to questions raised by members in the House last night. “ This force,” he added, “ may be for the defence of this country, but nobody can say where it will be.” The Minister stated that he was inclined to take a liberal view of the age restrictions. Officers would go into the question, because he felt it quite true that some men were old at 40 and others young at CO. It was really a question of getting tho best men, not of being restricted. So far as noncommissioned officers were concerned, the age limit bad been raised for those who could do the job well. He explained that in fixing the scales of pay and allowances for the special force' tho lower ranks had been raised, thus reducing the margin between a colonel and a private. New Zealand, working on Territorial rates of pay, was paying higher rates than in any other volunteer force in the Empire. “ If they go overseas,” added tho Minister, “ and there is a hardship inflicted on any class of man in meeting his liabilities, we will endeavour to do tho right thing by those serving in the force and other sections of the community.” “ Don’t lot an incompetent officer go away with even a platoon, much less a division,” urged Colonel Hargest (National, Awarua). He reminded members that in the last war they had seen expensive, incompetent officers sent away. Quite a number went through ,-the whole war, and because they were inefficient were drafted back to the base and used there. Tho country could not afford to do this in war, and if there was inefficiency there was only one place for that man—back in New Zealand as a civilian. He hoped the Government was determined to see that our men were led by the right men, from lance-corporals to colonels, because many countries had paid a big price for inefficiency in war. LATEST REGISTRATIONS TWENTY-THREE YESTERDAY Registration for service in the Dominion or overseas still continues apace at the Drill Hall, and those selected are being examined by the medical boards and classified. A considerable amount of detailed work is being carried out by the clerical staff which is handling the classification of registrations. and when this is completed it will be possible, by means of crossreference to make a selection for any further drafts that may be required. Registrations are classified as follows:—No. 1 group (officers on the reserve or active list), Group No. la (retired or ex-officers), Group No. 2 (single men), Group No. 3 (married men without children), and Group No. 4 (married men with children) : Registrations yesterday were:— . —Group I. Captain Marcus Dalby Harvey. —Group 2. Jack Rowland Adcock, Bernard George Brown (Naseby), James Arthur Erridge (Waitati), George Alexander Graham, Anthony Grigg (Pembroke), Harry Grimsey, , John Flett Hamilton. Andree John Helm (Ranfurly), Francis Braithwaite Hodge, Lyail Alexander M'Gregor (Palmerston) , Daniel Barry O’Connell (Hawea Flat), Kenneth Maxwell Smith (Garfield), Roderick lan Hamish Spiers (Ontram), Cyril Trevathan (Pembroke). —Group 3. Laurence Douglas Livingstone Houghton, John Patrick Middleditch. —Group 4. Henry Francis Cnthbertson (Green Island), George Hayes (Cromwell), Herbert Perks, John Franklin Wells OAM ARB. —Group 3. William Edward Burnell (Weston). —Group 4. Wilfred Ralph. Jarvie.