MILITARY RESERVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1939, Page 5

MILITARY RESERVE

INCREASE IN RECRUITS [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON,, September 6. Recruiting for the National Military ReServo has been accelerated to a remarkable extent since the declaration of war with Germany . Within the last four days the total of volunteer applicants for enrolment in the reserve has increased by nearly 7000, the actual gain being from 18,000 last Friday to 25,444 at 9 a.m. to-day.

Returned soldiers and former regulars between the ages of 35 and 55 have provided 9500 reservists for service as guards and garrisons for vital points. There have been 3635 applications by men between the ages of 20 and 35 years who have served during peace time in the New Zealand Territorial Army, or in any of the other military forces of the Empire. Applicants between the ages of 36 and 55 not eligible for inclusion in either of the other two classes total 7564. The remaining 4745 who have volunteered for the reserve have been classified as ineligible. The Wellington district leads with 4107 enrolments and Auckland is next with 3695, Christchurch has the third largest number of applications, with 3177; Hamilton is-in fourth place, with 2153, and Dunedin fifth, with 1917. All centres are increasing their numbers rapidly.

INTERESTS OF TEACHERS. • AUCKLAND, September 6. The need for protecting all teachers, particularly in regard to grading and salary; if they undertook military service, was emphasised at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board. The question was raised by Mr. T. U. Wells, who urged that the Education Department should be asked to consider the matter carefully, “Some teachers who went to the Great War suffered in comparison with others who stayed at home,” said Mr. Wells. “I should be very sorry to think that any teachers who volunteered for active service should be in any way handicapped by making that sacrifice. Mr. Wells proposed that the board should write to the Education Department suggesting that the grading of teachers in military service should go on during" their absence, at a rate equal at least to that which they had obtained in the last two years. Mr.'A. Burns, M.L.C., said that m the last war the board and the department had done all possible to protect teachers who went away. They were not forgotten. * . Mr. Wells said he was referring to all teachers, including women, who might take up nursing work. The board adopted Mr. Wells s proposal.