NO SHORTAGE OF OFFICERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8204, 29 July 1915, Page 6

NO SHORTAGE OF OFFICERS.

NEWSPAPERS FOR, THE FRONT

A QUESTION OF LOCAL DEFENCE.

(From Our Wellington Correspondent) WELLINGTON, July 28.

" There is no dearth of officers for the reinforcements and no shortage of oifieors with good qualifications offering," said the Defence Minister to-day. "1 am not disposed to put any difficulties in the way of gentlemen who consider they have tihe necessary qualifications, and are obliged to wait their turn for appointment in New Zealand, trying their fortune in England, anu am only too ploased to know that in many instances they have been successful in obtaining commissions in .the Imperial regiments." In answer to questions put by Mr Okey, the Postmaster-General (the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes) said that huge dispatches of newspapers, occupy^ ing many hundred feet of cubic space, were made, by every mail by -way of. Australia. "I am. unalble to agree "to. send newspapers free of cost," he add-, cd. "The newspaper postage to Egypt is one penny a copy, and the cost of landing the newspapers at Alexandria iLs more than one penny. The Defence Department is willing to send free of cost by transports newspapers for the hospitals in Egypt and Malta. Any newspapers forwarded by rail to the Defence Shipping Office, No. 3 Shed, King's Wharf, Wellington, will be carried by the Railway Department free of charge. There is no objection to sending any newspapers as freight by any opportunity." ,' Mr G. J. Anderson (Mataura) a-sked the Government whether it would bring into force part 14 of the Defence Act, 1909, so that all who come under that part of the Act might be trained in military duties for the defence of New Zealand. This portion of the Act authorises the Government to call out the militia, containing the whole male population for defence purposes. "The Territorial force, with vts reserves, is available for the defence of New Zealand," replied the Defence Minister. s'lt is not considered necessary to have recourse- to part 14 of the Defence* Ac^, 1909, which is a compulsory measure for use .9n ly iQ time of grave local emergency."