MERCANTILE MARINE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1941, Page 6

MERCANTILE MARINE

RADIO OPERATORS WANTED

APPEAL TO YOUNG MEN

The Government is appealing to men Between the ages of 18 and 20 and to those under 30 who are not fit for military service to join the Mercantile Marine as radio operators. In a statement last night, issued jointly by the Minister of Marine (Mr. Semple) and the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones), it was explained that in the interests of the safety of shipping it was necessary that all overseas ships should carry three radio operators and that coastal vessels, in/which the duty of radio operator was at present carried out by the mate, should carry at least one operator.

"This will require the services of nearly 100 additional radio operators, and to provide these men the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Limited, has kindly- undertaken to train candidates in its wireless school in Wellington," said the Ministers. The course, they added, would last about two months, though candidates who already possessed some knowledge of radio or morse would probably be passed as qualified in n shorter period. At the end of the course qualified operators would take service in merchant ships in the ordinary way. The certificates to be granted to these operators would be provisional certificates and would be issued for the duration of the war only. Candidates would receive the wages laid down in the existing award after being signed on in ships. The Ministers stated that they hoped there would be a good response to the appeal, because the Mercantile Marine was a vital part of the Empire's war effort and the safety of ships was allimportant. Thus men who undertook this work would know that- they were performing war service as important and real as the men in the fighting services.

Candidates should write to the manager. Union Steam Ship Company, Wellington, giving full' name and address, age, and stating whether thsy possessed any radio or. morse qualifications.