RECRUITS FOR NAVY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28573, 30 April 1958, Page 8

RECRUITS FOR NAVY

Officer’s Visit To Canterbury The Royal New Zealand Navy—more than 1000 men short of its target complement—will this week begin canvassing intermediate schools in Christchurch for future recruits. The director of naval recruiting (Commander R. T. Hale) said yesterday that this had not been done before, visits having been restricted to postprimary schools. Commander Hale said that nothing was being “forced on the intermediate schools.” He and his assistant—the CanterburyWestland recruiting officer (Chief Petty Officer A. R, Taylor)—made visits only at the wish of Jhe schools. “The youths at intermediate schools are at a far more impressionable stage than the secondary pupil, and the presence of someone in uniform is inclined to influence boys for, the future,” he said. “If there are any boys to be influenced then this is important for their future studies.” Canterbury Programme Today, Commander Hale will be at the headquarters of the Canterbury division of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.N.Z.p. Pegasus, in Montreal street. On Thursday he will visit the Lincoln, Southbridge and Akaroa District High Schools; on Friday, the Shirley Intermediate and Boys’ High' Schools and the Christ’s College sea cadet unit; next Monday, St. Bede’s College and Rangiora District High School; on Tuesday, Cashmere High School, Christchurch South Intermediate School and Linwood Intermediate School. On Wednesday, May 7, he will visit Cheviot and Kaikoura District High Schools and Marlborough College. Commander Hale said he hoped that more parents would come to see him. “If youths who are thinking about the Navy as a career would bring their parents with them, I would be very pleased,” he said- “ Very often we find youths come along without parents who might not support them in the way they would if they did come and learn for themselves what the Navy offers.”

Commander Hale has been recruiting in the CanterburyWestland district since April 12. Asked how many men he had recruited, he replied: “Frankly, none.”