The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." FRIDAY, MAY 17. 1918 THE SURPLUS OFFICERS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 376, 17 May 1918, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." FRIDAY, MAY 17. 1918 THE SURPLUS OFFICERS.

Having regard to the fact that the remarks made last Friday by the Chairman of the Defence Expenditure Commission (Briga-dier-General Sjr Robert Anderson) and the Commandant of the Forces (Major-Gemeral Sir Alfred Robin) in reference to some two score gentlemen holding His Majesty's commission as officers may lead to an erroneous impression being formed, we cannot let them pass without some comment, particularly as the mouths of the officers are sealed by King's Regulations, and they cannot utter a word in their own defence. We have waited a week in the hope that the Minister for Defence would make a statement to put the matter right; but so far he has not done so.

The subject under discussion was the disposal of territorial officers for whom no vacancies had been found in Reinforcement drafts. The majority of them were volunteers for service abroad in any capacity, and many of them had desired to relinquish their commissions and join the ranks. This they were absolutely forbidden to do by the Defence authorities, being told to wait their turn and commissions would be found for them. In July last these officers were taken into camj) on the understanding that those who re-qualified in examination would he appointed as officers in Reinforcement drafts. After some months' training the examination was held and, though contrary to the usual custom the results were not pub lislied, it was generally understood that nearly ail had obtained the necessary marks. Then Headquarters found itself in a quandary. The Reinforcement j drafts had been greatly reduced in si/.e with a corresponding re- j di'ction in the number "I ol'tkvis j required. Far too l:;rge a pro- i portion oi nun had been given j commissions from the non-com. class, and more soldiers than were : expected bad been s« nt back tor commissions. As ii was evident the officers in the training classes would n<>! be ii quired for a while they wei>' uiwu leave towards the end <•!' ib- war, which leave

was extended from time to time by fortnightly periods until this week. On the ninth of this month these officers were directed to report on the fifteenth, when they would be posted to drafts as Sergeants. On the tenth inst., before the notices could have reached some of them, the matter came up at the Defence Expenditure Commission, when the Chairman remarked : " They must be funny chaps. After they had all the 'swank' of being officers in peace-time in time of war they will not fight except on their own terms. What if these young men will not go as sergeants ? They have their commissions." General Robin then said : "They will be prosecuted as deserters. This is the last offer to them. If they do not come in as Sergeants they will have to come in as deserters."

Such statements are unwarrant-1 ed. Having miscalculated its requirements most woefully, Headquarters now tries to veil its expensive muddling bv endeavouring to enlist public feeling against these officers by suggesting they are likely to become mutinous, although it is certain they have not hitherto disobeyed any order given. Would it not have been early enough to talk about treating them as deserters when they refused to go into camp ? But evidently the Old Bailey lawyers' device of hiding the weakness of one's own case by abuse of the other side is preferred. We protest against the insinuations implied, which are neither justified nor deserved and can only have a tendency to damp the ardour of the young men referred to, who were only too williug and anxious to respond to their country's call