PUBLIC INTEREST IN ARMY

Southland Times, Issue 24826, 19 August 1942, Page 4

PUBLIC INTEREST IN ARMY

General’s Advice To

Officers

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 18. Addressing 170 officer cadets who have completed their training at the school of artillery, the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant-

General E. Puttick,' today emphasized that their commissioning was not so much a change, of rank as an assumption of considerable re-

sponsibility. “The New Zealand Army,” he said, “is a citizen army with sons, husbands and friends in its ranks. The public takes a great interest in it. The public knows more about the Army than many think. In every country there is a noisy minority and part of the public interest is evinced in the form of criticism. You will find that you will experience some of this criticism and some of it will be uninformed; some of it you may consider unfair.” ~ ~ . Lieutenant-General Puttick said that as officers they would find a diversity of talent among the men under their command. It was an excellent axiom to remember that in a body of nien there was something each individual could do better than any of the others. It would be part of their job to find, out the capabilities of their men so that each could be given tasks to which he was best suited. Officers should never try to bluff the men under them.. A body of men quickly realized anything like that. “Above all,” said Lieutenant-General Puttick, “never correct a man for something in which you are failing yourself.” . v _ A similar ceremony, at which 90 officer cadets of the Field Artillery branch were reviewed by Lieutenant-General Puttick, was held in the afternoon.