TERRITORIAL OFFICERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 8, 14 February 1914, Page 11

TERRITORIAL OFFICERS.

In the report issued on the examination of non-commissioned officers for appointments to commissions in the territorial forees it is stated that, on the.'whple, the,results cannot be regard-ed-otherwise than as disappointing. "The standard of education and military knowledge necessary for an officer to possess," states the report, "seems to have been greatly under-estimated, not only by the candidate, but by those recommending such candidate as being likely to make good officers. Out of 127 candidates actually presenting' themselves for examination, only 42 managed to qualify. Examinations on the regulations and organisation discovered a superficiality on the part of candidates —a knowledge of the book without the practical consciousness of knowledge is applied." In the infantry section the training manuals had not. been intelligently studied, and in.mounted rifle work at least half the candidates were quite unprepared. In many eases the papers of artillery and engineer candidates showed more promise.