DEFENCE STAFF.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1919, Page 4

DEFENCE STAFF.

IMPORTANT CHANGES

WELLINGTON, July 8.

Considerable interest is being evinced regarding the forthcoming changes in tlie Defence staff. The ordinary training of Territorials and Senior Cadets having been interrupted on account of the war, it has become urgently necessary to complete the former establishment of officers and n.c.o’s, so that the training of New Zealand’s citizen army may b.e fully redeemed by the beginning of next year. In order to do this, the services of many officers and n.e.o’s are required, and as it is preferred that while a few temporary appointments to the staff corps may now be made, the whole of the applications will not bo determined until after demobilisation is completed, when all will go before a special Board of Selection. It is reported that it has been laid down that the officers commanding the ijbur military disricts shall bo men with modern war experience, and that in pursuance of this, Brigadier-Gener-als Melville and 1 oung, now in England, have been cabled for, to take the commands in the Wellington and Canterbury districts respectively. Colonel Potter will remain temporarily in command of the .Auckland district, while Lieut. Col. MacDonald, now temporarily commanding the Wellington district, will assume temporary command of the Otago district.