NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 February 1916, Page 4

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES THE QUESTION OF PROMOTION iFrom Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Feb. 2. The arrangement made by the Defence Minister for granting eommjssiosia to i certain number of returned soldiers it a result of vigorous complaints that haw been made by the men themselves. The returned soldiers found that they were required to go back to the front, if they recovered their health, with their original rank, whereas they saw men wlio had not been to the front at all passing through the training camps and securing commissions. On the face of it they had a grievance. But the point raised was not as simple, from the point of view of the Defence authorities, as it seemed. The invalided soldier is still a member of the forces at the front, and he Is under the command.of the General commanding in the field. The business of the Defence authorities Iters is to restore Ms health and aend him back, if possible. If, then, the returned soldier is given a commission, he is providing the men still at the front with a very substantial grievance. Bill, who has had a trip home and a rest, will have a commission, while Jack, who has been at the front all the time, will remain in the ranks. Jack will want to know why a wound or a bout of enteric should be allowed to give brother Bill this big" »o> vantage". - But then Bill and Jaok are at one in resenting the appearance of the new-chum officer, who leaves New Zealand with a late Reinforcement and takes command of men who have fought and bled.

This question of promotion brwtlea with difficulties. Not the least of them is to make the average mm in the rants understand that experience In the trenches is not a full substitute for the special technical training that the officer receives. It is a fact, too, that to some extent officers are born, not tn*d«.