POLICE RECRUITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22130, 8 June 1935, Page 19

POLICE RECRUITS

IMPROVED STANDARD MANY WELL-EDUCATED MEN [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday It has been the practice- of the New Zealand Police Department, during the last two years, to require that recruits joining the force shall have attained at least the sixth standard stage of primary school education. Before that the passing of the fifth standard was all that was deemed necessary. The result of the change, said the commissioner, Mr. W- G. Wohlmann, had been that a very fine type of young man had been appointed. Within the past two years, said the commissioner, between 60 and 80 young men, all fulfilling the exacting physical and higher education standard, had been recruited. A number had attended high schools, and some a university college for a period.

When asked whether men of the college type were joining the force because the professional avenues in which they would ordinarily move were closed by economic circumstances, Mr. Wohlmann said he agreed that in some cases this might be so. He had found, however, that the majority of those who had enjoyed a college education, and who had been accepted, had chosen the force as a career because they were confident of rising high in the service of the department.