EXTENDING AGE LIMIT

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1931, Page 8

EXTENDING AGE LIMIT

HOUSE' DISCUSSES DEFENCE BILL WELLINGTON, August 5. In moving the second reading of the 1 Defence Act Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives this afternoon the Hon. J. G. Cobbe said it provided for drafting 1 membefg of the Territorial force into? 1 the reserve on attaining the age of thirty-five, instead of twenty-live as ,at present. It was considiered that this extension of age would, by the inclusion of a number of old men, have the effect of stiffening up the various units. Provision vas also made for drafting a Territorial into the reserve at any time on his having completed three years’ efficient service, although h e might not have attained thirty-five years of age. The Minister pointed out a Territorial might require, for busines s reasons, to retire from active participation in training after he had served for a time, and the provision gave the necessary authority to enable this to be done. The Bill also provided for extension of age for training in the reserve from thirty to forty. GOVERNMENT’S POLICY. Referring to the Government’s defence policy generally Mr Cobbe said it was intended to. spend annual amounts,to £200,000 on land defence and £-100,000 on, aviation and these sums would provide a force which would be creditable to the Dominion. He paid a tribute to the fine spirit displayed, not only by the Permanent officers, but also by Territorial officers, who by their enthusiasm, were helping to make the volunteer movement a success.' The newspapers, also, had been most helpful, and on the whole the new system had been fairly dealt with. Throughout the Dominion tliej number of recruits attested to July 10 were : —Mounted rifles 367, artillery 757, engineers 149, signallers 117, infantry 1091, army service corps 143, medical corps 127, and up to date 50 per cent, of the number required to complete the establishment had attested.