CONTROL OF TERRITORIALS

Evening Star, Issue 22797, 4 November 1937, Page 1

CONTROL OF TERRITORIALS

REPRESENTATION OH BOARD DENIED THEM [Per United Press Association;] WELLINGTON, November 3. In the House of Representatives further consideration was given in the committee stages to the Army Board Bill. Mr Coates asked that the Territorials should be given an opportunity of assisting in deciding the military policy 4 Territorial officers had felt very much: out of it in the past, and he asked the Minister if he would make provision for; the inclusion of a senior Territorial officer on the board. It was the volunteer who_ did the work, and it would tend to increase co-operation between! the permanent staff and the volunteers,The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, said he did not think it wise to impute that there was any lack of co-opera-ton between the Territorial and the Regular forces. There was not. They; were working in the closest co-opera-tion, and he pointed out that quite » number of the permanent officers today had been Territorials themselvesWhile he could not see his way to accept Mr Coates’s suggestion, he thought it a good idea that there should be a discussion of common questions between the members of the Permanent and Territorial forces, from time to time. There was no suggestion that Territorial officers had been shut out or neglected, and he thought it would not be wise at the present time to have a Territorial officer as a permanent member of the board. Mr Hargest said there was no desira by any member of the Opposition to attempt to cause a cleavage between the Territorials and the Permanent Staff, but here was a chance to give the Territorials encouragement by. their being represented on the board* •Mr Cobbe also supported.Mr Coates’s proposal, as did Mr Endean and Mr Kyle. The Minister pointed out that at times certain policy matters were discussed by the board, and at these discussions it woud he inadvisable sometimes to have Territorial officers present. He would be quite pleased to seek, assistance from the Territorial officers from tijne to time, but he did not think it would be advisable to have a Territorial officer as a perman- [ ent member of the board. -< Mr Hargest contended that the control of the Territorial units was being 1 taken away from them by the re-‘ L moval of a number of colonels from their commands. He said he had seen a copy of proposals to he brought into force* when-thfe ;board was set up, .*•" and it was .plain to him that the Territorial Officers would have less, say in the control ’of their units than before. To overcome this there should be a senior Territorial officer on the board, even if only in an advisory capacity. Mr Coates moved an amendment to ' clause 4 of the Bill; making provision! r for the appointment of a Territorial 1 officer to the board. [ The amendment was supported .by Mr J Hargest and the Leader of the Opposi--1 tion, Mr Hamilton, and on being put • to division was lost by 43—20. [ > The Bill passed through the remain* ■ ing stages without amendment.