CITIZEN ARMY PROGRESSES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29173, 6 April 1960, Page 23

CITIZEN ARMY PROGRESSES

Developing After One Year (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON April 5. Good progress is being made towards the formation of Territorial associations throughout New Zealand, said the AdjutantGeneral. Brigadier W. S. McKinnon today. It was hoped to have a Territorial Association in all the main centres of population throughout the Dominion soon. “These associations will give citizen’s support for our citizen army, the Territorial Force,” he said. “They will be formed by the citizens themselves and will be run by them, but the Army will & ve the associations every possible assistance when they require it Sport, social activities and provision of amenities are among the matters coming within the scope of the associations.” Brigadier McKinnon said the associations would also be valuable as a means of keeping in constant touch with the employers, Generally employers had been splendid in the support they bad given, particularly in the matter of granting leave for attendance at annual camps. “Already the new Territorial Force, in its first year, has made very good progress,” he said, "and the coming year will show continued development Morale High "The morale and spirit of the Territorial Force is very high, the end of the first 12 months finding it with a strength exceeding 6500 and it is growing all the time. A recent series of summer camps have been most successful and the many who attended benefited greatly from the training in realistic jungle conditions. "The Regular Force, too, has made substantial increases to its strength during the last year and this will also continue in the year ahead. The 2nd Battalion of the New Zealand Regiment, which was formed last year, is now well-established in Malaya and regular units of other groups such as artillery, armour, signals and engineers are developing in New Zealand.”