ABOUT TO RETIRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 May 1941, Page 6

ABOUT TO RETIRE

MAJOR-GENERAL DUIGAN ACTING-PREMIER'S TRIBUTE. APPRECIATION OF VALUABLE SERVICES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The impending retirement of Major-General Duigan (Chief of the General Staff) was announced by the Acting-Premier (Mr Nash) today. “It is with the greatest reluctance” said Mr Nash, •"that the# Govermpent has acceded to Major-General Duigan’s request that he should be permitted to retire. While he has for some time been anxious to go, he consented to remain at his post at the special request of the Government. But now he feels that his health, which has been indifferent for some time, will no longer stand the severe strain which the duties of Chief of the General Staff impose. I should like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Government, of paying sincere tribute to Major-General Duigan’s outstanding services. Because of their confidence in him and because of his experience and sound grasp of the defence problems of New Zealand, his term has been extended on several occasions. It was his duty to plan and to organise the mobilisation and training of the New Zealand forces and this task he and his staff performed in a manner which must earn them the appreciation and gratitude of the people of the Dominion. His wish to do his duty, at whatever cost to himself, is, I know, the mark of a good soldier, and I am voicing the opinion of all who have been associated with him in saying that no soldier could have served his country better than has Major-Gen-eral Duigan during the four years of his term as Chief of the General Staff. “Prior to his retirement, Major-Gen-

oral Duigan proposes to visit the main camps throughout the Dominion.” NEW CHIEF OF STAFF APPOINTMENT OF SIR GUY WILLIAMS. WELLINGTON. This Day. The Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) announces that Lieutenant-General Sir Guy Williams, late G.0.C., Eastern Command. Britain, succeeds MajorGeneral Duigan as Chief of the New Zealand General Staff. In an earlier statement, the Acting- ' Premier (Mr Nash) said the New Zealand Government had asked the British 1 Government for the loan of a senior military officer for a few months, to advise the New Zealand Government on problems relating to the organisation nnd training of New Zealand military forces. The services of LieutenantGeneral Sir Guy Williams, late General Officer Commanding-in-Chief. Eastern Command, had been placed at lhe disposal of the New Zealand Government and he was on his way to New Zealand, accompanied by a small staff.