N.Z. officers join Australian army

Press, 17 August 1977, Page 7

N.Z. officers join Australian army

Inadequate pay and poor equipment are said to be forcing many New Zealand Army officers to enlist in the Australian Army. This was a factor in the Army Association’s decision last week to ask that more money be spent on the Army, according to the Canterbury branch president (Mr J. R. Gregory). The association decided at Its annual meeting in Wellington to ask the Government 'to make better financial provision for the future needs” of the Army. Particular deficiencies ■ were the lack Of modem i armoured fighting vehicles, and the loss of middle-grade! and non-commissioned offi-) cers. Mr Gregory said there 1 ; were only five tanks in the' Army, and all were obsolete. In the entire Army there was not one heavy anti-tank or anti-aircraft weapon. Nor were there people to use) them. He said that he was not suggesting that some areas!

of the Army were not well-, equipped, but that certain) areas were gravely under- ’ equipped, particularly with' more expensive items. “The Army is there to train soldiers for war, and to suggest that we can produce a balanced force without at least some of these things to train on, is being naive.” New Zealand spent $75 per head of population per year, on defence, he said. Australia spent about $l3O. “The public’s apathy is reflected in the Government. )and the necessary money is inot spent.” i Middie-ranked officers and ) non-commissioned officers ! were leaving the New ZeaI land Army for Australia “be''cause basically, that army is : a going concern.” A private in this country 1 was paid $56 net a week; a sergeant, $101; a second- ' lieutenant, $B4; and a major, •jsl27. “That is not a lot for a : man who may have to go out ilat any time and possibly give

iup his life,” said Mr Greglory. "And our men are not I going to Australia because 'the pay is less.” Another potential problem was the eventual withdrawal of New Zealand troops from Singapore. “Where are we going to put them?” said Mr Gregory. “We do not believe this should be a political football —there should be some longrange plan that is not going to be altered every time there is a change in Government.” At the meeting, the Minister of Defence (Mr McCready) promised a restatement of the Army’s role in a White Paper to be presented to Parliament later this year. He said the increase in defence spending > this year was evidence of the Government’s continuing ’ concern for the well-being of i the services. The Chief of General Staff , (Major-General R. D. F. Hassett), indicated that struci tural changes in the Army’s ; composition might be needed ; in the next 10 years.