BACK ON RESERVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20085, 3 November 1939, Page 6

BACK ON RESERVE

FOUR COLONELS CASE

MANIFESTO RECALLED RETIREMENT AS PENALTY OPINIONS ON DEFENCE The three surviving signatories of the document which became widely known as the “Colonels’ Manifesto,” and which led to the retirement by the Army Department of four senior officers of the New Zealand Territorial Forces, have been restored to the reserve list, according to a Press Association message received to-day from Wellington.

The effect of this new development is that Colonel R. F. Gambrill, V.D., Colonel N. L. Macky, M.C., and Colonel A. S. Wilder, D. 5.0., M.C., V.D., will have opportunities of serving their country in their old ranks, in the event of the Dominion’s war effort becoming as comprehensive as in the conflict of 1914-18.

The fourth signatory to the “Colonels’ Manifesto,” Colonel C. R. Spragg, died recently in Auckland. His many friends in this district will regret that he did not live to share in the recognition now extended to his colleagues. The announcement that the three surviving signatories have been replaced on the reserve of officers fulfils an expectation long held in this and other districts where military matters are much in the public eye. It was recognised at the time of the manifesto that the four colonels had taken a bold step which probably would lead to serious consequences upon their military careers. The development of an acute international situation, and the rapid march of events towards the outbreak of war was held by many members of the public to have justified fully the general terms of their manifesto, and the restoration to the service of senior officers of such wide experience will give general satisfaction. Comment on Minister’s Review The statement released by the four colonels was in part a commentary upon -a review of the defence preparations contained in a speech by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. The Minister’s remarks represented the fulfilment of a promise given at an earlier conference with the colonels, and it was considered by the four senior officers to be inadequate. They therefore issued their manifesto, the summary of which was contained in the following paragraphs:— “(1) That the present organisation ( and establishment of the force is insufficient for the defence of New Zealand.

“(2) That the number of volunteers trained and in training is insufficient to complete the establishments as at present laid down. “(3) That the standard of physique and training of the serving volunteers in some cases is such as to render them unsuited for the purposes of expansion of the present organisation in time of need.

“(4) That the morale of the existing volunteers is being so sapped by successive reductions in strength and lack of public support that we fear the disintegration of our present ‘skeleton’ unless definite support is accorded by the Government and the people and assurances are given that the force is desired and will be fostered.

“(5) That in our opinion the failure of the present volunteer system would not have occurred had the active support of successive Governments been accorded our land forces since ■the inception of the voluntary system.” , .