NATIONAL RESERVISTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20031, 1 September 1939, Page 6

NATIONAL RESERVISTS

NAVAL, FORCE APPLICANTS

RECORDING OF NAMES

MINISTER’S STATEMENT

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day

. With reference to the National Military Reserve now being formed, it has been decided to institute a special register of those applicants who .prefer that their services should, if possible, be used in the naval forces of f\ew Zealand, said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones in a statement to-day.

It was not at present anticipated, he said, that there would be any requirements .for men to serve in the New Zealand naval forces over and above the officers and men who already belonged to the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and recruiting at .present was not open in those reserve forces, except in cases of certain exmembers of active service and telegraph operators of the -Post and Telegraph Department, who will be admitted to the Royal Naval Reserve when the numbers allow.

“It may well be that?requirements will arise beyond those now foreseen, and it will be advantageous for the naval authorities to be in possession of the names of men whose experience and predilections qualify them more for naval than military service,” -said the Minister. Such men should complete a card for enrolment in the New Zealand National Military Reserve in the ordinary way and, if they have any experience at sea, should insert particulars on the back of the card. These cards will be referred by the 1 army authorities to the naval department and, in event of war or emergency, such men would be called up for naval service instead of military service.

For those ;rien who have already forwarded cards offering their services for the National Military Reserve, said the Minister, and who desired that their names should be included on the naval register, these men should now forward fresh cards giving the necessary particulars, as previously indicated, and should mark them “second application.”