PAY FOR VOLUNTEERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 144, 14 December 1940, Page 10

PAY FOR VOLUNTEERS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The complaint made by "Difr illusioned Volunteers" is a sore poimt with many of the young men of 18 who volunteered before July 22 f4r Territorial service. The statement §t the Minister of Defence that "some 4f the men called up by ballot for Territorial service were not old enough to offer their services under the voluntary system" is not understood, seeing that, volunteers were enrolled at trie age of 18 years, but the first and subsequent ballots have limited the a^e to 19 years, therefore every young map j caught in the ballots has had an opportunity to enrol voluntarily. As to the time spent, I was called upon for medical examination in midafternoon, and some days later, again in mid-afternoon, for X-ray, and later still I had to collect my uniform- dur~ } ing working hours. Surely this is, atf. least, equivalent to . the time • now being paid for at 7s. Then, Sir, speaking of uniforms, I have completed my three months' training but have not yet had an ' under.clothing, socks, or jersey issue, and my tunic, trousers, and greatcoat are all second-hand. The greatcoat is dated July 30, 1920, and is due for the old age pension. Several in my unit are not yet old enough to be called in the ballot but we.are doing our bit preparing for an emergency, and such treatment is most disheart- j ening, especially when" the .-ballotedj men who joined our camp later, .allj came in fitted from the skin out in: brand-new equipment. The "Wait-until-called-for" policy turned out best in this instance. Does the Minister of j Defence consider this fair treatment and encouraging to young men?—l am, i etc., . | A VOLUNTEER OF 18. j

"Fair Play" also disputes the stater ment that medical examination of volunteers was mostly at night. When he was examined there was a constant stream of men passing through, from 2 to 5 p.m., and he was informed this was a regular occurrence. He and others who travelled from Petone twice for medical and X-ray examination did not receive even bus fares, though prer vious volunteers received train fares and men now are receiving 7s or I4s.