NEW UNITS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 15 June 1940, Page 5

NEW UNITS

SPECIALIST COMPANIES TO BE FORMED SERVICE OVERSEAS [United Press Association] WELLINGTON. This Day. The immediate establishment of additional specialised military units has been decided upon by the Government as a result of consultations with the British Government. This was announced last night by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. Units now to be formed are one railway survey company, one railway construction company, two railway operating companies, two forestry companies and two army troop companies. The types of men wanted to fill the railway operating companies are blacksmiths, boilermakers, carpenters, coppersmiths, clerks. transportation plant drivers, engine-drivers, locomotive firemen, fitter-drivers, fitters, lifters, storemen, blacksmiths’ strikers, shunters and porters, tinsmiths, wagon erectors, stationary engine stokers, pioneers, internal combustion drivers and cooks. Applications for leave to enlist in the special railway operating companies should be submitted to the general manager of railways through the applicants’ respective control'ing officers in time to reach Wellington on or before Friday, 21st June. “Applicants are required to be between 21 and 40 years of age, and physically fit for service in any part of the world,” Mr Jones said. “Preference will be given to single men, but married men may be accepted. Consideration will also be given to the enlistment of members up to the age of 45 years.” APPEALS BY OTHER MINISTERS

“I have asked the Ministers of Railways, Public Works and Forestry to issue messages to the workers under their control and they have kindly responded to my request,” Mr Jones added. He quoted a statement by the Minister of Railways, Mr Sullivan, who made an appeal to all railwaymen for the formation of two railway operating companies for service overseas, to be manned entirely by officers and men of the railway service.

The following personnel are required for the railway survey company —clerks, draughtsmen, fitter-turners, engineering surveyors and men for other survey duties. For the railway construction company the men needed are blacksmiths, bricklayers, carpenters and joiners, railway construction draughtsmen, transportation plant drivers, fitter-drivers, fitters, signal fitters, masons, painters, platelayers, plumbers and gasfitters, riggers, rivetters, technical storemen, railway surveyors, acetylene and electric welders, blacksmiths’ strikers and stokers.

Mr Jones said that the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, had issued a circular appealing to officers and employees of the department who were physically fit and otherwise met requirements to offer themselves for enlistment. The general conditions were that the men must be between 21 and 45 years of age, fit for service in any part of the world, with preference to single men, though where these were not available married men with up to two children would be acceptable. MEDICAL EXAMINATION Application forms were obtainable from engineers or other officers in charge of works, and applicants were specially asked to forward completed forms to the district or other engineer in whose area the work was located. The army authorities would arrange for formal enrolment and medical examination of selected recruits after applications had been considered by the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department,. Officers and employees who volunteered for the first railway group but were not selected were invited, if still available, to renew their applications. “The Forestry Company will consist of axemen, blacksmith, carpenters, electricians, engine artificers, topographical draughtsmen, fitters, millwrights, sawers, saw-doctors and wheelers,” Mr Jones continued. He quoted a message from the Commissioner of State Forests, Mr Langstone, who referred to the fine type of men among New Zealand logging and sawmill operators. Mr Jones said that the recruitment of the corps was being carried out by the State Forest Service, the regional conservators of which at Auckland, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Nelson, Hokitika, Christchurch and Invercargill were handling enlistments as a preliminary to the selection of a company which would be representative of every district in New Zealand.

“In addition it is also proposed to form two army troops companies,” Mr Jones added. “The types wanted to fill these vacancies are practically the same as those for the railway operating and railway construction units. Earlier this year similar units were recruited in New Zealand. The response on that occasion was most gratifying and I have no doubt that the enlistments will now be equally spontaneous and complete.”