LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13426, 27 August 1941, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SHOOTING AIS|J ,tv -vz. trScmlT 0f i - ... h •"AANff—w .. • M.C-. for his statement e.. Zealand soldi? r« - ’ ‘" at L ■ shooting when ea~ii jtry for overseas and - N.,; a:s Jiha- someone took up thV Qrel - r ■his defence in his 0 J I-Mr Doidge ha. beet m to *a Labour newspapeA hl S Minister, and Labour Th. substance of the “fej troversy is contained in vTA. > official questions tc -A Defence (the Hon. F. Jones'S °* ; together with ihe Mi n uTff !' * I read as follows: = M'liss Question: Is the MimVt I months intensive training If J. 1 * : ouru territorials were onVTw twice only and that the;, “I rs °?« * was limited to a rai e nf i Reply by the Minis::er:'V2 ! training is so arranged thaß? ao not carry out range pracnL * AH they pass certain ‘Tests of Eiementarv | Moreover, if on firing the pr\S i ary practices they do not ?. r ‘ r A ; definite standard, they are *im h J i :or further instruction. This uFT ' lO aTof u waste of ammunition m2 were_ many different units' Ucd training at Vaicuru and it is *• lively teat some men. fo>- t*e reastated, did in fact aetuallvTboot twice during their training curu. The range practices and A xac-t that some men did no: comely lheir shoctinc while a: Waiourn l not or great moment as there is A k-N opportunity during out-of-cam training tor them to complete the>practices as and when their nate o' training warrants the expenditure o' ammunition to this end. All firim at Waiouru was confined to the ’a yards range as the full sized raA is not yet completed. Question: Is the Minister aware that during the whole of the trainin' year ended May. 15 41. the National Reserve in Auckland had rifie snooting practice once only? Reply; The only National Rp«m>

! Battalion in Auckland did attend the range on only one occasion. This vras. however, a whole-dav parade : and the full course prescribed was fired. It is desirable that the practices should be spread over more than one day. but owing to the intensive use of Penrose" ride range i this could not be arranged during ; the past year. Question; Is the Minister aware i that in one company of the Reserve • nine men Qualified as marksmen, 14 ias second-class and the balance of , 50 per cent could not hit the target 1 on the occasion of their one and only experience of range shooting in the year? Reply: The weapon-training results of the Xafional Reserve unit at Auckland show an average score of 9 7 points out of ISO. The lowest ! score recorded is 26. The allegation I that a large number of men did not hit the target is incorrect. Question: Is the Minister aware that the syllabus for the ensuing : year provides for only one range | practice? Reply: Xo programme for range ! practices for the National Reserve in j Auckland has yet been arranged for ’ the coming year. Question: Has the Minister noticed the report of an address to officers and X.C.O.'s by Colonel Row, D. 5.0., recently returned from the Greek campaign, in the course of which Colonel Row declared that while the standard of rifle shooting of our men overseas was now good, it was when they arrived in Egypt, poor? Reply; I am fully aware of the views expressed by Colonel Row. This officer has stated that the standard of rifle shooting of our men arriving in Egypt was not up to the: standard required for active service. This was realised and was one of the reasons why the government insist 6 upon and received an assurance that the Xew Zealand Division would no be employed on active service unti it was fully trained and equippe • Colonel Row did not state that t standard of shooting was poor, hu that it was not up to the stanuar required. Question: What is the Cover ment's intention in view of the re> lution passed by the Returned biers’ Association urging tb at Xationa! Reserve. Territorials, . °‘ - Guard and all other defence lor , ® should be given adequate practice until they become proaci marksmen? . Reply: The annual rifle laid down for the Territorial r provides for an allotment °Q air ‘ > nitlon which is greater than tea lowed for in any part of the Lmp with the possible exception 01 , Q( j where it has apparently been t necessary to increase the alio for the training of troops. , It has been amply proved the foregoing how fully justice Doidge was in stating tnat troops were being sent from • Zealand without sufficient * ra in rifle shooting. I am. etc., H. J. GILL, Chairman Ta.uran.ga Xationa