ARMY RECRUITING RATE INCREASES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22825, 21 December 1948, Page 3

ARMY RECRUITING RATE INCREASES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 21. Recruiting for the regular force is now proceeding at a satisfactory rate, stated Mr. F. Jones, Minister of Defence. in the course of an interview yesterday.

Mr. Jones said that up to (lie present 3857 applications had been received from males and 191 from females. From this number 1644 males and 163 females had been accepted for service, while a further 37 applications were still under action. During the period June-August, 1948. the monthly rate of the intake was 35 recruits. In September, 1948, as a result of intensified recruiting, the rate increased to 50 recruits monthly and this rate had been maintained to date. Direct recruiting initiated during September, 1949, by recruiting teams in each military district had resulted in an increase of 15 recruits a month. The regular force cadet scheme had Dad successful recruiting figures. The first intake in July, 1943, was 90 youths and 160. applicants. A second intake of 90 youths was assured as 184 applications had been received. The standard of the second intake was most satisfactory, the majority of the boys having had at least two years’ secondary school education.