RETRENCHMENT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4402, 12 April 1922, Page 2

RETRENCHMENT

IN DEFENCE DEPARTMENT. ALTERATIONS AT PAEROA. Throughout the Dominion the Defence Department’s retrenchment, policy is. being rigidly enforced, apd although there may appear, to be, cases of injustice to individuals, nevertheless when the scheme' and the motives are examined as a whole, and looked at in a broad light, there is not a great deal of room for adverse criticism. The No. 2 Regimental. District, having headquarters at Paeroa, under, command of a veteran soldier, Captain Peacock, has had to bear its share of the sacrifices. Captain Peacock, though not, as far as the writer can judge l , suffering .any loss of emoluments, will, it is understood, be placed second in command, under Major Andrews. He will have the rank and executive positions of Adjutant of the 2nd Regiment and Area Officer of “A” Area, headquarters at Paeroa.

Lieutenant Robertson, and also the locally very popular Sergeant-Major Dean, have been retrenched, but not ungenerously, Sergt-Major Dean receives leave on full pay until the end of September, which recognition will be learned of with pleasure by his many friends in this district. Captain Peacock has a lengthy career of service to his credit, hav-' ing taken up military activities in England as far back as 1887, or, 35 years ago, and is, therefore among the seniors in the service of the Dominion. He came <0 New Zealand from England in 1889, under appointment from the War Office as instructor. For ten years he was &M. of the Wanganui Battalion, and was transferred to a, similar position with the Auckland Battalion. In due course he was promoted to,a lieutenancy, and later to captaincy, and was Adjutant of the 15th Regiment. During the Great War he was given command of the Ist Maori Contingent, with the rank of Majon He was ultimately invalided home, and made Camp Commandant at Narrow Neck. In 1919 he was again promoted to the position 'of Assistant-Quar-termaster-General for. the Auckland District, and in August of the same year he was given command of No. 2 Regimental Districts with, headquarters at Paeroa. Trainees and the general public alike will be reassured to know that Captain Peacock Remains in the district, where his executive ability and consideration for all ranks have won him a place of esteem and goodwill.