TERRITORIALS AND NAVAL RECRUITS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 188, 7 May 1929, Page 13

TERRITORIALS AND NAVAL RECRUITS

ANNUAL POSTING OF CADET WHAT MEDICAL TESTS REVEAL I At the end of the year the Defenci Department posts all cadets wh.< havi reached the age Of IS years that yeai to the territorial forces, and the, post ing for this year has just been com pleted. There are some features which in conjunction with the figures for th< Royal Navy, are of more than passing interest. Before the posting is done the cadets are medically examined, and as a sult of the medical examination of 772 cadets 643. were passed as fit, 33 temporarily unfit, 44 were below the standard, and 51 permanently unfit. An officer of the Defence Department stated yesterday that these figures were round about normal, but the fact remains that 128 out of 772 failed to come up to. requirements.

Stitt Navai rests. For enlistment in the Navy the pei centage of rejects is very much highei but the number of applications for en listment in the Navy is comparative!; small. Usually from 15 to 20 a monti fill in the application form for entr; to the Navy, but fully 75 per cent, g, no further, either for the reason tha they have secured congenial work o have thought better of it. By the en< of the year the average number wh< follow up the applications form wil not exceed 20. For the past year ii was only 13, of whom eight were re jected at the preliminary medical ex amination, and one of the remaining five was rejected at the final medical examination, leaving only four Nev; Zealand recruits to the Royal Navy foi the year. The standard requirement* for the Navy are, however, very high, the same as in Great Britain, and any physical defect or weakness means rejection ; even slight dental defects have to be remedied. Although there are limits as to the number of men who can be accepted for the Navy, these limits have not been reached, but fit men would be placed on a waiting list if such was the case. As indicating the requirements of the Navy, the minimum standards are as follow:— Age. Height. Mean chest Weight, measurement.

The Defence Department, however, avails itself of every man who it is considered can be brought up to standard by training and physical development, and who is considered fit to undertake some training, so that a percentage of,those temporarily unfit may later be posted.

16 5ft. 2in. 32Jin. 107 to 1171b. 17 5ft. 3in. 33Jin. 110 to 1201b. 18 5ft. 3Jin. 34in. 120 to 1301b.