SERVICE PAY IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27962, 8 May 1956, Page 13

SERVICE PAY IN BRITAIN

Recruiting Rate Increases (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, May 7. A jump in recruiting after recenl big rises in service pay may end the call-up sooner than was expected, says a special correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” “The figures for all three services in April, the first full month since the introduction of the pay increases, show an upward trend well above that expected by the Defence Ministry. “If these figures are maintained for the next few months it could mean an early review of the situation regarding an all-Regular Army and the scrapping of the call-up. “The cutting down of Britain’s commitments in Malaya and Kenya, with the virtual ending of the emergencies there, are also bright signs that the Government may soon be able to reconsider the conscription issue. “In April the numbers of men reenlisting in the Royal Air Force were up 400 per cent, on April last year. “Reports from every Army Command recruiting centre tell of greatly increased re-enlistment and re-en-gagement figures. In the Northern Command alone, last year’s April figure of 1262 jumped to 1687—an increase of 425. “The Navy’s figures for April are still incomplete, but over-all new engagements are up by 10 per cent, on this time last year.”