THE SURPLUS OFFICERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16847, 11 May 1918, Page 6

THE SURPLUS OFFICERS

MUST BECOME SERGEANTS*, GO TO CAMP THIS MONTH. DEPARTMENT'S FINAL OFFER. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Friday. The Defence authorities have arrived at a decision regarding the territorial officers of the First Division who were called into camp in the middle of last year. To the dismay of the authorities they came into ! camp wearing their badges of rank, p.nd | they refused to take them off. * Very early | in the argument it was learned by the I authorities that they had taken legal j advice, and that they had come to a de- ! cision that if they were not allowed to i hold their commissions they would fight the matter. They have, until the present, fought successfully, and the country has paid out to them the sum of £3000 in pay for no services at all. Now, however, they are to be called into camp as sergeants. The matter was raised in a series of questions before the Defence Expenditure j Commission to-day. The question addre jto General Sir Alfred W. Robin, 1 K.C.M.G., Commandant of the- Forces, j read as follows:— It is reported that j a'oout the middle of 1917 there were taken i into camp some 60 or 70 officers, mainly territorials, for whom commissions in the Expeditionary Force could not be found. If this statement is correct please explain .(a) how this state of affairs arose? (b) Was employment found for these officers, and on what duty? (c) Were they discharged or granted leave? If the latter, wan it with, or without, pay? (d) How much this error, if committed, cost? (e) What is the present pant-ion of the matter?" Matter of Supply and Demand.

General Robin submitted a written reply to the question as follow.:—"The question is merely one of supply and demand. We have available a number of territorial officers who lack experience in the present war lor whom vacancies cannot be found in the reinforcement drafts. The number of officers involved is really 42, which represents • the balance of two classes drawn from 63 officers who were mobilised in July, and August, 1917, for a special course of training. As the result of this course 20 candidates were selected from among those who gained the highest marks, the remainder •being given leave, as they objected to the conditions under which they were called to camp, viz., that if they were found unsuitable, or if no vacancies existed for their appointment to the Expeditionary Force with commissioned rank, they would be reverted temporarily for service in the Expeditionary Force as non-commissioned officers. The question is a matter of policy and is now under consideration. The officers were, in the first place, granted, leave without pay, but, as a solution of the problem could not be found and the officers were without means, pay was issued from time to time until March, 1918. No employment was found for these officers, as it was impossible to foresee when this question would be settled, and leave was granted for short periods. They were not sent back to camp for the reason that their presence there created discontent, which was apt to depreciate the value of their own and their comrades' training. Their pay whilst on leave amounted to £2966. Either as Sergeants or Deserters.

"It is not admitted that an error was committed, as the situation was forced on by the provisions of the Military SerJ vice Act, which is no respecter of persons I in its insistence that every fit man must proceed abroad when his turn comes. The Military Service Act had the effect of throwing a surplus of inexperienced officers on our hands, and the legal difficulties involved in reconciling the provisions of the Military Service Act with tha necessity for respecting the King's commission, if possible, caused ■unavoidable delay regarding these officers' disposal. This problem exists in other parts of the Empire, as applications are being reI ceived asking for employment here, j the applicants stating that they are * a surplus in their own Dominions. Since j this answer was written," added General I Robin, " a decision has been come to. ; The men will have to come into camp as sergeants in the middle of this month." General Sir Robert Anderson, the chairman of the commission, said that he appreciated the difficulty of the situation. But," he said, " they must be funny j chaps. After they have had. all the ' swank' of being officers in peace times, in time of war they will not fight unless on their own terms. What if these young men will not go as sergeants? They have their commissions." General Robin : They will be prosecuted as deserters. This is the last offer for them. If they do not come in as sergeants they will have to come in as deserters. General Anderson : The pathetic thing is that these '.young fellows should force such a situation on the Government.