Territorials Pay Increased; Bigger Allowances Granted

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1938, Page 3

Territorials Pay Increased; Bigger Allowances Granted

[Special to “Northern Advocate.”] WELLINGTON. This Day. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES YESTERDAY, k THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE. THE HON. F. JONES, ANNOUNCED THAT AN ALL-ROUND INCREASE OF THREE SHILLINGS PER DAY HAD BEEN MADE IN THE SCALES OF PAY FOE THE TERRITORIAL FORCE, WHILE NEW AND BIGGER ALLOWANCES WERE BEING GRANTED. In the course of his statement, he said: "The existing rates of pay for the Territorial Force were fixed in 1911, when the compulsory training scheme was commenced, and no alteration was made in them when the changeover to the present system of voluntary service was made in 1931.

“The scales of pay decided upon ford the Territorial Force will represent an all-round increase of 3/- per day, and will be as follow: —Territorial Force, private 7 - per day, corporal 7/6 per day. sergeant 8/- per day, sergeantmajor and stall sergeant 8/6 per day, lieutenant and second-lieutenant 11/per day, captain 13/- per day, major 15'- per day, lieutenant-colonel 18/per day. colonel £l/4/- per day. Special Inducement. “As a special inducement to the men to carry out the prescribed training, camps and courses, and; at the same time to compensate them in some measure for any loss of wages, a camp allowance of 5/- per day will, in future, be paid to Territorials carrying out their training. “The allowance will be paid both to officers and to other ranks. It will be payable for the days actually spent in the annual camps, and at courses. “In the past it has been a source of dissatisfaction that no provision has existed enabling the pay of their rank to be granted territorials for the days occupied by them in travelling to and from camps and courses. It has been decided that where travelling necessitates absences from employment over and above the .actual time occupied at the camp or course, the pay of their rank but no camp allowance is to be allowed for it. Travelling Grant. “Up to the present it has not been possible to refund expenses incurred in attending evening parades, except in certain special circumstances, although for camps and bivouacs free transport from the place of assembly has been provided. “In the future a grant will be made to any trainee of any service living beyond reasonable walking distance of his place of parade of a sum equivalent to his tram, train or bus fare. Where such forms of transport are not available, the equivalent value of the fares is to be granted, or if this be not practicable, payment may be made of such amount as is considered reasonable, not exceeding Tid per mile. “The Government feels that no trainee should be out of pocket as the result of attendance at evening parades. This is a principle that has been accepted in England and Australia.” A sum of £3OO per annum is made available for the four R.N.V.R. divisions. It is to be expended by the divisional commanding officers and the directors of reserves in promoting the- interests of the units jn various ways.” Regimental Funds. “In the territorial force a regimental fund grant on the basis of 4/for each officer and man classed as efficient has hitherto been authorised,” added Mr Jones. “These funds are administered by regimental committees of officers and men, and are expended in providing sports and recreational facilities, promotion of rifle shooting, etc.”