DEFENCE SCHEME

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 186, 24 August 1937, Page 3

DEFENCE SCHEME

—Press Association.

Manning of the Coastal Defences EFFICIENCY BONUS

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. The manning of the coastal defences j tmder tho new scheme for Territorial | training was the subjeet of comment by j the Minijter of Defence, Hon. E. Jones, [ who mado a brief visit to Auckland. The Minister said that the scheme xeally envisaged a- three-year programme in this xespee.t, and at the end j of that time it was koped that there j would be a well-trained body of Tcrri- j jtorials to supplement the men of thc J •Permanent Eorces assigncd to coastal | iflefence duties. ''The scheme provides for Territorial? j to be enlisted at the rats of 200 a j 'year," Mr. Jones continued. "We are ;particularly keen to-interest tho right ; .type of man, and when they have boen enlisted, they will undergo tlireo j months' continnous training. It is in- i [tended to arrange the training periods so that .they will fall at times when | there is generally a lull in seasonal ' operations. "After their three months -of intenBive training the Territorial recruits i will be required to attend three annual | training periods ofN their units, amount- l ing to about 10 days each year. . There j will be a thorough training in the first- ; place and continuity of service to follow. ' ' The Minister added that it was the aim of the Government to maintain one' coastal defence bat,talion of 300 men at each of the coastal defence_ centres. Modern equipment would "be providedi and full scope ofiered.for advancement. During the three-month training period : the men would be pald " on a higher. scale than that laid down for ordinary' Territorial nnits and the Tate wouldi probably approximate that paid to re-: cruits in the Permanent Eorces. * Discussing the proposed scheme oftraining for other Territorial units, Mr. Jones said that the sy3teni of efficieney bonuses would bc introduced. Trainees would be encouraged to undergo special j courses, and they would be. awarded | badges and cash bonuses for proved j efiiciency. The courses of instruction j would really represent additional camp periods, but for city units it.might be advisable to hold additional week-end parades. Motor transport had proved highly successful when used in conjunction with artillery camps, the Minister added, and it was proposed to extend the system to all Territorial • camps. A number of motor vehicles would be maintained in each military district, and additional commercial vehicles would be used when required. The whole objective of the Government was to mako thc system of Territorial training as attractive as possible. By this means it was hoped to build up a well-trained force, which would be a credit to the Dominion as a whole.