TERRITORIALS AND THE RESERVE

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 86, 8 October 1921, Page 5

TERRITORIALS AND THE RESERVE

TO Til IDITOR. Sir, —In reference to the paragraph which appeared in .the ' Evening Post, in connection with the posting of Territorials to the reserve on Teaching the age of 22 years, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the conditions stated therein are not applicable to all Territorial imits. .Trainees in the Railway Engineers, for instance, ate still required' to serve until attaining the age of 25. The. explanation of the .Defence Department on this matter is that the establishment, of thevEaiWay Engineers has not yet bseVfdeeided upon. In the meantime, those members of the Railway Department who, according tq the ruling given in the paragraph, referred to above,#are eligible for posting to thie reserve, are required to continue attending parades. Tfhe Post and Telegraph Engineer Corps, which was a similar body to the Railway Battalions, was disbanded, and, the new scheme brought into operation over two months agOi As the difficulties of reorganisation of Miie two bodies must be similar, it is difficult to understand this lack of expedition on the part of those responsible for the control of the Railway Engineea-s, unless it is due to the Post and Telegraph Corps bedng under more efficient administration.

The Railway Battalions comprise all eligible members of the Railway Department, and, in view of the large Bumbe* concerned, it is not unreasonable to ask 'when something definite will be done in connection with their reestabJishment, and thus remove the existing anomaly by placing the Railway Engineers on an equal footing with other unitp.—l am, etc., ,

TERRITORIAL.

[On inquiry at General Headquarters, it was ascertained that l-eoommendationa for the reorganisation of the JRailway Battalions of the New Zealand Engineers; under the rjaw system of training, which was approved by the Parliamentary Defence Committee, are ».t present urtdei1 consideration. Owing to the peculiar conditions under which railway aci'vartti; are employed, these unit* h&ve been alIqwed to arrange the dischargo of military obligations on limes best suited to fit in with those conditions. The question of the extension to the railway units of the privilege of transfer to the reserve at the age of 22, subject to the completion of tlvree yea.rs' efficient service in the Territorials,, is being taken up by Dfsfenpo Hfla.dqt>art«r» with the Director of llftilw*ya.]