MEN WHO WORK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16569, 5 June 1914, Page 10

MEN WHO WORK.

DEFENCE SERGEANTS-MAJOR, LONG HOURS AND POOR PAY. There has lately been agitation in connection with the inadequate salaries paid to school teachers, but from his own observations and from what ho can gather elsewhero a 4l ‘'Lyttelton Times ” reporter has come to the conclusion that the servants in another Government Department are deserving of quite as much consideration ns far as salaries are concerned. Tho reference is to tho staff officers, moro especially tho area and regimental sergeantsmajor and sergeant instructors in the Defence Department. Any one who is at all familiar with the working of tho defence scheme knows the great amonnt of work theso men get through in the course of tho year and how invaluable they are to tho Department to which they arc attached. To them come the raw recruits—they are practically responsible for the training of tho men all through their career in the Territorials. and they are the sinews of the force. When any ceremonial parades or camps come on, the outward and visi'-h command of the men is handed over to the civilian officers and, to the casual man in the street to whom a march past is nothing more than a fine spectacle, it might seem that the smart appearance and soldierly bearing of tho.troops is due la those officers. Certainly the civilian officers take tho greatest interest in their commands, and it is not meant to be disparaging to them when the statement is made that thoy arc responsible only in very small part for the efficiency of the units. The influence of the aergeant-major instructor is paramonnt, and to him belongs the credit, but it is seldom that he gets the recognition due to him. Ask any Territorial who does the most work in connection with his training and also ask him who is the most popular man in the regiment and ten to one •« answer to both questions will bo "The sergeant-major.” People might be. inclined to say in answer to all this: "Well, they are paid for it.” Yes, they -are certainly paid for it, but it is very much open to question whether the rate of pay is commensurate with the amount "of work done. Above all things a soldier prides himself upon being smart, and part of his curriculum is to turn himself out spick and span as far as appearances* go In military circles slovenliness and shabby appearance are rank heresies. Yet it is a well known fact that there are people in Christchurch who sneer at the vrell-turned-out staff officer in his shiny brown boots and leggings, and there are quite a few good citizens too. who hold the opinion that these smart-looking men have “ soft ” 'nillets in the Defence Department, for which the people pay. Perhaps a few facts relating to tho duties of the average sergeant instructor will help to undeceive them. THE HOURS. From 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1.30 to 4 p.m. on Mondays. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays these officers are in attendance at their respective headquarters and it is surprising what a lot of clerical work has to be done i? 5 connection with tho defence scheme. Office hours are very Lilly occupied indeed. Then on these evenings the instructors have to leave home pretty early, and in some part or other of their area conduct evening drills. In some districts the places to bo visited are in many eases miles from the instructor's residence and the journey has to be made somehow, and the instructors have tc stay overnight and next ‘day move on to the next drilling place, so that it is usual for some of them to sec homo only once or twice a week. THE SERGEANT-MAJOR’S WORK. A reporter once accompanied a sergeant-major to a drill in his district and the journey was made on motor-cycles. It was a cold and frosty night and then and there the pressman was convinced that the jobs that these men bare got are no sinecure. Then it would surprise, a good many people to know that in a certain place rot far from Christchurch evening drills are conducted in a shed that is not much larger than an average room in a modern dwelling. Yet in that whnro nearly fifty territorials were crammed and were being instructed by the ser-geant-major. On Fridays the hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour for lunch. As far as Saturdays go the country men are usually lucky enough to get their work done in time to get the afternoon off, but lately some of the town instructors have not been so fortunate. The hours are supposed to be from fj a.m. to 11 a.m., and after that they have to finish any work remaining to. be done and get off upon its conclusion. For the last three montliß tho work remaining to be done after 11 a.m. on Saturdays has been to put squads through the musketry course on the Rcdeliffs range and not on one single occasion in that period has this jiecn finished mtloh before dark, so that it can be seen that ns far no they are concerned Saturday half-holi-day is at a premium. These facts are the result of personal observation. WAGES. Now, as to wages. A warrant officer of the permanent staff gets £2OO per year ana a clothing allowance of £2 10s. A warrant officer in tho N.Z.R.A. gets £205 2s 3c! per annum, a house allowance of £25 and a clothing . allowance of £1 IQs. making a grand total of £231 16s 3d, or nearly £3O better than his permanent staff brother. Again a staff sergeant-major, after three years’ sendee,, receives in pay £IBO per year and a clothing allowance of £2 10s. A first-class ’staff sergeant in the N.Z.R.A. is paid £196 Ss 9d, gets a house allowance of £2O, and a clothing allowance of £1 4s, and with an increase after five years of £4 11s 3d, making a total of £221 IPs, or practically £4O better than a man in the same position on the permanent staff. Eyen a, N.Z.R.A. corporal in l better paid than a staff sergeant-major while the permanent staff N.C.O.’s get much less still. Considering tho amonnt and quality of tho work accomplished by the permanent staff it is considered reasonable that. they should roceivo some consideration from the Department as regards increase .in pay,' and there are also, other anomalies that well might receive attention.