SHORT OF OFFICERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1944, Page 6

SHORT OF OFFICERS

AUSTRALIAN VESSELS

(Special P.A. Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, October 3. Because of war casualties and transfers to the Navy, the Australian Merchant Marine, is suffering from an acute shortage of deck: officers. 7So serious has the position become, that the Commonwealth navigation authorities have been Instructed to allow ships to put tb sea with uncertificated officers. This is because of the urgent necessity to keep ships moving in war-time. Other officers have been brought back from retirement Some are more than 70 years of age.' Still greater difficulties about officers are expected after the war. Though the Government has prepared a vastly expanded shipbuilding programme, little has been done so far to train men to take, charge of new vessels. Before the; war two-thirds of the officers in the ; Commonwealth's Merchant Marine ; were not Australianborn.

. The world-wide shortage is expected to diminish the numbers of overseas officers available to-Australia after the war. For this reason the.. establishment of a shore academy to train Australian officers iri now being urged As a stop-gap. measure the Commonwealth Marine Industry Commission will assist a number of able seamen to qualify for second mates' certificates.