PLAN' SUPPORTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 9

PLAN' SUPPORTED.

KILTED REGIMENT. LOCAL SCOTTISH BODIES. eligibility question. Decision was marie lust night, at a meeting of the Auckland Provincial Council of Combined Scottish Societies, to support the formation of a Highland regiment in tne Dominion, as recently authorised by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. 3 , \ .lone*. in outlining the Department's proposals, MR approved by the Cabinet, Colonel McD. Weir, otliccr commanding | the Northern (.•onnmiinT. said that the Highland regiment would be known as the Xew Zetland Scottish, and would wear kilt a of the Black Watch tartan. Approval of the attachment of the Xew Zealand unit to the parent regiment had been graciously given by Her Majesty the Queen, as Colonel-in-Chief of the Black Watch Regiment. It was proposed to recruit a rifle company of the Highland unit in each of the four centres, naid Colonel Weir. Each company would consist of 119 11.en. Requests were made to the Scottish societies in the Dominion to appoint recruiting committees and to select the recruits, who would lie required to be of Scottish descent, irrespective of place of birth. Determining Eligibility.

The a;;e limit would be the same as that obtaining for other units, from 18 to 32 years. On attestation, each recruit would lie obliged to pay £1, and the Scottish societies were asked to contribute a similar sum to the .cost of the equipment of each man.

It was proposed that the important function of determining the eligibility of recruits should be assigned to the societies. That would lie preliminary to the ordinary procedure of medical examination and attestation.

The proposals were accorded unanimous support, and a motion accepting the proposals and conditions laid down by the Department \va«? adopted. A further decision was made to form a general committee to officiate as a recruiting body, and to appoint a subcommittee to draft enrolment forms regarding eligibility. It was decided to recommend to the Minister that the minimum height should be made sft Sin.