STRONGER ARMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22481, 27 July 1936, Page 11

STRONGER ARMY

AUSTRALIAN MILITIA AN INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN EXTRA £220,000 A YEAR [from our own correspondent] MELBOURNE, July 20 An intensive campaign to raise the strength of the militia forces to its peace-time establishment of .'35,000 men is being launched throughout Australia this week. Coloured recruiting posters of most attractive designs are being displayed on every important railway station and post office and in business houses and factories. Pamphlets and postcards, setting out the pay, attractions, social and sporting attractions of the militia, are being issued. Citizens' committees for each unit in each State arc being formed to encourage enlistment, to supervise welfare work and to promote social amenities on the lines of the community clubs in New Zealand.

Innovations in training and conditions of service are designed to attract 8000 recruits in the next few months. The extra cost of adding that number to the volunteer forces will be £220,000 a year. This will be almost entirely absorbed in providing neater uniforms, in higher parade pay and in the provision of a welfare and betterment allowance of 3s a head. Conditions of Service

Conditions of service under the new policy open the militia to all men between 18 and 40 years of age who are of a minimum height of sft. 4in. and have an average chest measurement of 33in. Senior cadets between 16 and 18 years will also be enrolled for transfer to the parent force at 18 years. Enlistment will be for three years, after which a soldier may continue to serve by annual engagements. The old period of training, six days a year home service and six days in camp, is unaltered, but the number of parades at which a soldipr can complete his six days' home training will be reduced to ensure fuller attendances at each parade. Jn announcing the new plan, the Minister of Defence, Sir Archdale Parkhill, said: —"To provide a deterrent to the invasion of Australia and to enable us to repel an aggressor, should he reach these shores, our army is organised in seven divisions and would require about 200,000 combatant troops in war. For various reasons these divisions are organised in peace on a skeleton basis, and the minimum strength necessary *for training in peace and to provide for expansion in war is .35,000 men. The total for some time, however, has been between 26.000 and 27,000. Payment ol Troops "It is evident that adequate financial provision has not been made," continued the Minister, "and the voluntary system should be neither condemned nor discarded without a fair trial under reasonable conditions. Therefore, the Ministry considers that, if it removes the handicaps, it can confidently rely on the people of Australia to do their part in supplying the manpower to bring the militia forces up to strength." For home training privates will receive 8s a day (5s pay, plus 3s efficiency allowance) instead of 4s a day. Corporals will continue to receive 9s a day, sergeants 10s a day and sergeantmajors lis a day. There will also be specialist pay and skill-at-arms prizes, and opportunities for promotion to commissioned rank. Camp training pay will be provided at the same rates. Tram and train fares will bo provided where trainees' homes are beyond a reasonable walking distance of drill halls. Tho neatness and fit of uniforms will be improved. To remove the complaint of dull and elementary training in drill halls funds will bo provided for week-end bivouacs and courses for all ranks. Transport and rn*»us will,be provided. As the process of "modernising" the army proceeds, armoured fighting vehicles, motor transport and new weapons will increase the interest of trainees. Inter-unit competitions, tattoos and displays will be encouraged. The Social Aspect

An allowance of 3s a head of the strength of. units will be available to commanding officers for social and betterment purposes, such as assisting social, atliletic and sporting activities of their units and making drill halls more like clubs for trainees. It is hoped that drill halls will become the centre of activities of interest to the public as -well as to trainees. Scattered portions of units will be brought together annually for parades, reviews or other ceremonials, and one day's pay will be allotted for an annual combined review in each military district.

These proposals for a bigger nnd brighter army have been well received. It is generally realised that there can be 110 serious objection to the extra expense, the justification for which lies in the world's besetting perils. The plan depends for its success 011 the response of young men and the cooperation of employers in facilitating military service by their employees.