First Camps Next May

Northern Advocate, 4 August 1949, Page 5

First Camps Next May

WELLINGTON, Thu. (P. A.).—Although final details of the military training scheme are not yet completed, it is expected that the first batches of recruits will enter camps in May next year. Papakura, Linton and Burnham camps will each receive about 1400 recruits. This was stated today by the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones), who said recruits would be paid 11/6 per day on enlistment and privates would receive 12/- per day when they were posted to a territorial force unit. Legislation had yet to be brought down to implement the scheme, continued the Minister. This would fix the date on which 18-year-olds must register. They would then be able to indicate which arm of the services they preferred, but preference would be given in the case of the navy to Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets, and, in the Air Force, to members of the Air Training Corps. Mr Jones said that up to March 31 last 280 of the latter had completed a period of flying training and they would find it most useful to have a further period of 14 weeks’ flying in the Air Force. He added that recruits to the ground staff would be trained with non-flying sections of the Air Force. MEDICAL DISABILITIES An arrangement with the Health Department by which recruits under the military training scheme who were rejected on medical grounds could receive remedial treatment is anticipated by the Minister, who said any disabilities revealed by such medical examination of the 13,300 young men called up could be given corrective treatment.