OFFICERS AND MEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1942, Page 2

OFFICERS AND MEN

METHODS OF TREATMENT GREATER EQUALITY URGED. LABOUR CONFERENCE VIEWS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Fourteen remits dealing with the ’ war and military organisation were . considered, on the basis of recommen- ■ cations made by a committee convened ;by Leading Aircraftman Moncur, M.P., at the annual conference of the ■ New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington yesterday. The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, also addressed ’ the conference on the organisation of the Dominion's defence. Greater equality of treatment of officers and men in the armed forces ’ was the basis of several remits. The conference unanimously urged that ' officers and men should have the same ; food. Arising out of a remit that all promotions should be based on efficiency, and opportunity given for lower’ ranks to qualify for commis- . sions. it was recommended that steps should be taken to ensure that all officers appointed to the Home Guard are efficient and that courses should be arranged for training and testing of Home Guard officers. The political instruction of troops at home and abroad through the Workers’ Educational Association was among the subjects considered, the conference urging that a report should be prepared by returned soldier members of Parliament for consideration by the Minister of Education and the Rehabilitation Council. Other remits considered concerned ihe revision of emergency regulations io preserve the right of assembly and prevention of unjustifiable search of premises and also that all men exempt from military service shoulct receive military pay. No recommendation on these was made by the special committee.