COMMISSIONS IN AIR FORCE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 88, 30 April 1937, Page 4

COMMISSIONS IN AIR FORCE

Hawke's Bay Applicants Interviewed C0MMITTEE G0ES SOUTH Sixteen Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay tnen were interviewed at tke Drill Hall, Napier, yesterday afternoon by Wing-Commander T. M. Wilkes, M.O., R.N.Z.A.F., and Squadron-Leader L. M. Isitt, R.N.Z.A.F., regarding their applications for' short-term commissions in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The examination committee left Napier last night for Wellington, following which South Island applicants will be interviewed. "We have three sets of interviews to make yet in the South Island," said Major Wileks to a Herald-Tribune reporter yesterday. "In Christchurch we will interview men from Canterbur yand West Coast and at- Dunedin the applicants from Otago and Southland. Later we will go to Nelson to interview applicants from Nelson and Marlborough. "Thet position is that of the 3500 applications received, 300 wefe selected from the total number according to the information given in the forms they filled in, and we are inspecting- that number to report ou further seleetion. It is quite likel ythat there will be other applications made later, neeessitating further interviews, and any who are considered up to standard will be given a chance. Batches of those selected will be drawn up from time to time. "Many of the applicants . have no previous experience in flying work, but that is no bar to them if they are considered worth training. The seleetion committee has already interviewed. applicants in Wellington, Palmerston North, x Wanganui, Stratford, Hamilton and Auckland." The Dominion tour by these two officers, who are respectively Chief StaffOfficers for Equipment and Personnel and Wing-Commander the Hon. R. A., Cochrane, Air Ministry adviser an defence to the New Zealand Government, is Jjeing undertaken for the putpose of selecting those applicants who are regarded as most likely to make effieient officers. Men who have been engaged in Civil flying will have to undergo the same course of training as the recruits, so that previous experience, as already pointed out, is not necessary. It is expeeted that those who have been finally selected will receive advice o fthis from the Minister fer Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, within a month.