RECRUITS FOR NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21279, 5 September 1932, Page 10

RECRUITS FOR NAVY

NUMEROUS APPLICANTS TESTS IN WELLINGTON There is no shortage of recruits for the New Zealand Division of tho Royal Navy. Last week 50 men applied in Wellington for admission as stokers. They were mostly unemployed, one man having walked in from tho Hutt Valley. Of the 50, 25 were rejected as obviously unsuitable. Ten, who included throe ratings from the Wellington Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, were finally selected to undergo an education test, which is equivalent to primary school proficiency standards. As only 10 stokers are required from the whole of the Dominion, competition is keen. The main recruiting centres in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin arid Christchurch send papers dealing with the selections to H.M.S. Philomel, tho final decision resting with the ship's recruiting officer. Captain Andrew, V.C., who interviewed many of last week's applicants, stated that the physical standard of tho average Wellington 'applicant was disappointing, very few having the required chest measurement of 35in. Bad teeth were also a contributory reason for most of the failures.