REFORM WANTED

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 93, 19 April 1916, Page 3

REFORM WANTED

IN NATIONAL RESERVE GENERAL REORGANISATION A DRAMATIC INCIDENT. The meeting of citizens held at the Accountants' Chambers Jast evening to consider the report of the recently-ap. pointed Citizens' .Committee upon matters relating to the National Reserve was attended by about 50 persons. Mr. A. W Newton presided. ELECTION OF NEW EXECUTIVE. The committee presented its report in the form of the following recommendations : — 1. That the new executive should be elected without delay. 2. That the group exercise the right given it by the rules to elect all 12 members, including the president and vice-president,' this committee boing a civilian body. 3. That each existing company or corps bo entitled to elect one representative, and that such representatives when elected elect a president and vice-president. 4. That only financial mombers of the group be entitled to vote at the election. 5. That a balance-sheet and statement of the receipts and payments of the present executive of the grortp bo presented to the first meeting of tho new executive, and that an annual meeting of all members of the group be held, at which the retiring executive shall present a report and balance-sheet and statement of receipts and payments. 6. That this meeting suggest to the new executive. the consideration of the revision of tho rules. 7. That all officers, except those who actually hold army rank at the present time, be required to pass the Territorial examination for appointment to commissions at the first examination held after the expiration of six months from their respective appointments. REORGANISATION OF UNITS. 8. That in the reorganisation of the infantry units of the group, no unit be allowed a separate existence unless it has a regular parade state of at least ona platoon, Eay 70, and that adjoining units with a less parade state than 70 be amalgamated so as to form at^least one platoon. Such platoon may be subdivided into separate sections of, say, not less than 20 each, according to districts, and may have attached to it a suburban section or sections of not less than 20 each. 9. That in lieu of the existing battalion organisation, the Wellington group for the present be organised as one complete company of four platoons; say 284 strong, additional companies being created if and when the Ist Company is over its full strength. SELECTION OF OFFICERS. 10. That for the purpose of the necessary reorganisation, all officers and non-oommissioned officers shall be deemed to have vacated their positions as officers or non-commissioned officers of their respective units, but that all officers who desire to sit for . any territorial examination in 1916 shall not be required to resign their commissions, but shall, if not elected or appointed as officers under this or the next blause, remain officers on the ana,ttached list. The newly-constituted plaioons shall elect platoon commanders, such election being on the express oondition that the officers ejected shall pass the said Territorial examination held after the expiration of ,si_x months from their" respective appointments. 1.1. That the district commandant be !he major of the company, and after consultation with tho newly-elected ]>latoon commanders shall recommend for the . approval of the Seleo'ion Board a captain, and after consultation \vith_ tho platoon commanders appoint a sergeant-major and a quartermaster-sergeant of the company. 12. That each platoon commander appoint tho non-commissioned officers of his platoon after examination of the applicants for the position. LINES OF . OFFICERS' TRAINING ' . CORPS. 13. That platoon drills be held at least once a week for three Weeks in each month, and that on the fourth week of each month a company drill be held, and that on one Saturday after- ' noon each month a daylight company parade be held for the purpose of marching and extended order work; that the work of the company, so far a!s possible, be based on that done in Trentham. '1. That there be a company class once a week for all officers and non-com-missioned officers of tho company. 15. That there- bo a drill for all recruits of the city platoons once a week, to bo conducted in turn by the non-commissioned officers of each platoon. , 16. That the company be run on the lines of an Officers' Training Corps for the purpose of giving practice to men desirous of qualifying as officer's or non-commissioned officers, and that facilities should be given to each man who desires it, and shows pro-, fieiency to take his turn in drilling a squad, platoon, or company. That all men who have enlisted and not yet been called up, or who contemplate enlisting, bo, invited to drill with the reserve COMBINED DRILLS WITH TERRITORIALS. 17. That a strong endeavour be made to have the National Reserve constituted the reserve of the Territorials, into which Territorials may pass voluntarily on completing their service in the Territorials, so that they may continue to keep up their military training and rank, and obtiyn recognition when war breaks out. 18. That th© Government be approached to arrange for combined drills of the Territorials and National Reserve. 19. That each platoon keep up its activities on the civil as well as the military side, md act as the nucleus of tl district patriotic committee (in conjunction with tho Red Cross, Women's National Reserve, nnd other Pa-triotio Societies), to do all necessary patriotic work in its district. THE PROVISION OF ARMS. 20. That tho National Reserve. having been established for military training and military service, the Dominion Commandant be asked to arrange for and tc head a deputation of the National Reserve, including representatives from other districts, to the Hon. tho Defence Minister, to ask him to provide arms for the reserve. 21. That an appeal be made to all the original effective members of tho group to rejoin and help to make the reserve an effioient body, not only during tho war, but as part of the permanent defence organisation of the country. 22. That theso suggestions bo forwarded through tho proper channel to the Dominion and District Commandant, and the -now executive when elected. COMPULSION: A MEMBER WALKS OUT The- Chairman said the new executive was due to be elected by 18th May. A member aaked if it was true, as Cclonel Porter had stated, that a new rule had been adopted stipulating that Reserve members who paraded in fn ture would be regarded as having signed the declaration binding themselves to service. If it was, he had not seen the regulation. The Chairman replied that it was. The rules containing that had been cir- '

culated, and wove now in force. If any member objected to that, and did not parade, it would be taken that ho had resigned. Tho member (advancing with an envelope in his hand) : Well, I tender my resignation, and 1 resign at once. I have no further interest in the Reserve. The Chairman : I have no power to accept it. Tender it to your commanding officer. The member, amid a dramatic silence, then walked out Mr. H. F yon Haast explained that the rules were subject to future revision. The idea of tho committee was that the Reserve should endeavour to work under the new regulations as far. as possible. The member in question, returning, said that ho had joined the Reserve voluntarily, and nothing would compel him to serve. He was prepared to remain in it voluntarily. Another member moved that the meeting proceed with the next business. This was carried,, and the irate member again withdrew The recommendations were then considered seriatim. Clause 12 was altered to read that each platoon commander "recommend for appointment," etc. THE QUESTION OF PENALTIES. Mr. Spencer asked for information regarding the imposition of penalties for not attending drill, etc. Mr.yon Haast doubted whether,- under the " compulsory" rule circulated, fines or penalties could be imposed. He could find nothing in the Defence Act to support this. He thought they should request the Defence Minister to definitely define the position. Mr. Spencer pointed out that many members could not attend parades regularly owing to being absent elsewhere on, official or business duties. Were such members to be fined for non-at-tendance which they could not help ? The Chairman replied that he could not give a definite answer. ■ Mr.yon Haast considered that they were both a military and a civil body— a military body to do drill and make themselves' efficient, and a civil body to do whatever patriotic work they were able to'do. Another speaker pointed out that if recommendation 13 was adopted Ngaio, Khandallah, etc., would drop out at once. They could not attend such drills as proposed. Mr. Holmes questioned the use of doing drill, because they had not the arms, and under those circumstances could not be called out. The Government and the military authorities were not sympathetic with the movement. The Chairman replied that the Government and the military authorities had not given them much help, because they were too busy otherwise. They had too much to do. ■ Mr. T. Ward considered that if members did not attend drill they should be penalised. Ho moved as an addition to recommendation 13 : " That in the event of any member not attending at least twelve drills and parades each six months without sufficient excuse he shall then be called upon by his officer commanding to hand in his badge and then ceaso to be a member of the Reserve." Thoi addition was lost on the voices. Mr Ward declared that if the Reserve was to be a flapdoodle association like that- in which a man could not be made to attend drill he would tender his resignation. He was withdrawing from the meeting when he was urged to remain, and complied. A member., pointed out that they had no power to compel a man to hand in his badge, which was his own property Mr. Ward urged that if a member did not attend the limited number of parades stipulated then surely he should not be a member. It had since been represented to him, however, that there were honorary as well as active members. He agreed to alter his addition to read after the word excuse "he shall ipso facto cease to be an active member of the Reserve." The addition, as amended, was carried by a large majority. Recommendation i 3 was altered to read ' that on one Saturday afternoon each alternate month a daylight company parade be held," etc. Recommendations 17 and 18 were cut out by a vole of the meeting. The recommendations otherwise were adopted unaltered Mr.yon Haast appealed to members to attend the recruiting meetings, to be held at the various public schools tonight. On the" motion of Mr. H. Amos, it was decided to request the Commandant t-> call a general parade of the Reserve in Group 5 in order to give the next reinforcements passing through the' town a, good reception. The meeting concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.