COASTAL DEFENCE TRAINING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 31, 30 October 1937, Page 7

COASTAL DEFENCE TRAINING

-Preas AisociationJ

TerritoriBl Re$erve Taking SpeciBlised Course ENJ0YING THE UFE

(By Telegraph—

' .WELLINGTON, Last Night, Thp training pf the firgt territorial force speeial xegerve for xnanhing Ne,w Zealand's coast defonces ig now in full swing at Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. ^Total pf about 150 being in barrackg for thpir three months 7 initial training period at. thp ,thrce centres. The pbject pf the training to prpvide personne! for thp heavy batteries in the coast dcfenppg and specialists in the infantry battalions required for fbrtrpsS defonce. These men will be the first ealled up in the event of national pmergenGy, ln each centre about 10Q men will h« taken into the reserve eaGh year in two batches of approximatply 50 each, each ;batch bping given three months' training. The mpn enlist for fhe three months and sign an agreement to givp eertain further service. For instauce, they will attend a ten-day camp in each of the succeeding three years. AU trainees are strQngly qncouraged tp learn a trade while they are undergoing their three months'' training, arrangements haying been made for the men to attend trade classes at the Wellington Technical Collegs. This.fprms oue of the mqst igteresting aspects of the training. The authorities recognised that some of the men would be without trades, and arrangements for them to attpud vocational classes were mado to encourage fhem to Staud on their own feet whpn they come tp the end of the period, as wefl as to follow tho practice of the British Army as regards education. They may not be competeni tradesmcn at the end of three months, but will, it is hoped, be stimulated to further themselves. . . The. young mpn, whose ages range , frpm 18 to 2p, qro said to be enjoying Ihe life. They iiye in the barracks, and physical- develppment is emphasised. Since those in Wellington eame under the cave pf army, all except two have gainqd in weighf by amounts up tq 111b., and one of two to grow lighter is a prominent athlete whpse fitnpss cannot be doubted. The first month is occupied with a gpneral military course, and at end that time the men draftpd to epqciaJ kinds pf work. The artillery, for instance, take up gunnery, search,lighta electricity or range-finding, anfi similariy the infantry are giyen specialised instruction in machinp-gun, light mort§r, rifie and Lewis-gun work. Buring the three months' eniistment period the men are paid 8s a day, Jesfl 2s 6d for Tations, and during the tenday annual camps they wUi bo, paid 9a a day, Oificera of the department haye ppinted opt that, hy nat IfflfliSf than about 8a § week fqr ppckpt mp.ney, each man can leave the barracks with gome £20 in sayings. The artillery are being trained at Fort Dorset in Weliiugton and at Nar* rpw Neck in Auckland, In Cantprbury a course for infantrymen is being held at Burnham, The current cpurses cpnclude about Christmas,