BOYS FOR THE NAVY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 149, 20 March 1933, Page 9

BOYS FOR THE NAVY

Division in New Zealand TWENTY SELECTIONS MADE Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March 19. After a series of examinations held at the Devonport naval base, 20 boys were finally selected on Friday from the 50 sent from all parts of New Zealand as candidates for entrance as seamen recruits in tlie New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The naval authorities are confident that the present draft of recruits is one of the best obtained on the station.

The majority of the 20 boys come from the North Island, although South Island towns are also represented. The number of recruits from the various towns is as follows: —Auckland, 5; Hamilton, 4; Napier, Christchurch and Greymouth, 2 each ; Dunedin, Invercargill, Whangarel, Wellington and New Plymouth, 1 each. The average age of the recruits is between 15 and 16 years and most of them have had either one or two years at secondary schools. During the next few days the boys will be issued with uniform and equipment, and their training will commence next week. They will remain on board H.M.S. Philomel for a year and will then be drafted to the cruisers for service.