SHORT OF RECRUITS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 920, 13 March 1930, Page 11

SHORT OF RECRUITS

BRITISH ARMY BELOW ESTABLISHMENT OFFICIAL DISQUIETUDE * ' Reed. 10.10 a.m. LONDON, Wed. The Army Estimates have been announced as £40,500,000, which is a decrease of £605,000 from last year. An accompanying memorandum points out the decrease since 1922, when the estimates were £62,300,000. Special features in the memorandum include £950.000 loss in connectian Government’s contribution of £150,000. The memoradum draws attention to armaments research, particularly the improvements in the accuracy and effectiveness of anti-aircraft artillery, bridging equipment, wirelefes communication between moving vehicles, the development of mechanised antitank guns, and mechanisation generally. It anticipated that at the begiining of the financial year the Army’s strength will be 10,000 below the establishment. Recruits for 192 S were 30,000, while 1929 did not. exceed 26,000. Although 25,500 are allowed for 1930, this will not suffice to make good the shortage. “The position gives cause for disquietude,” the memorandum says, “because the lowering of the dental and height standards, which admitted 3,000 in 1929 who otherwise would have been rejected, cannot be extended. “Concerning civil employment for ex-soldiers, the suspension of assisted passages to Australia has resulted in a setback of overseas settlement, but single men are training for settlement in Canada. “There is a regrettable shortage of candidates for the Royal Army Medical Corps.” The commission’s attention was also drawn to the fact that the supplementary reserve of officers and military hospitals staff were much below the establishment.