NAVAL TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22487, 3 August 1936, Page 11

NAVAL TRAINING

VOLUNTEER RESERVE IMPORTANT CHANGES MAXIMUM AGE RAISED "READY FOR VITAL DUTIES" With the view to increasing efficiency, important changes in the conditions of service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve are anounced. "Virtually, tho changes will make the Reserve a ' jktmanent force,' with a highly trained personnel," states an official report. "The men will have the greater steadiness and reliability which comes with ago, and it will be a force ready to carry out vital duties should tho necessity ever arise."

In future, men joining tho Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve must agree to servo on tho activfe list for a period of four years, instead of three as at present. On completion of tho three years' service, men could, under the old regulations, either re-engage for successive periods of ono year, or be placed on List 11. under ISO years of age. It was stipulated that men on List 11. could be called upon if necessary. In future, List 11. will be abolished, and men wishing to re-engage will be ablo to do so for successive periods of five years, and remain on the active list until 40 years of age. In view of tho raising of the maximum age of service to 40 years, and the abolition of List 11., all men who have retired owing to reaching tho ago of HO, and those now on List 11., are invited to attend an explanatory address by Captain E. G. Morris, Director of Naval Reserves, to be given at the Royal Naval Volunteer Reservo headquarters, St. Mary's Bay, on Tuesday evening. It is very probable that an opportunity will be given suitable men, now retired, and those on List 11., to report on the active list, and if the number of men is sufficiently large they will probably bo formed into subdivisions compatible with their ago, retaining the rating they held on transfer.

For years the men have trained at their own expense, but they will now be paid ninepence for each drill attended, to compensate for out-of-pocket expenses, and full naval rates will bo paid during periods afloat. It is stated that further assistance might be given by the Government to men willing to devote time to fitting themselves for participation in defence. On completion of the first period of training in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, compulsory parades will be reduced considerably. Annual training afloat will be given in either cruisers, sloops or trawlers, operations at sea will probably become an annual event. It is also anticipated that during the summer volunteer officers and men will be able to join naval officers and men in week-end crtiises in the yacht Viking.

ADEQUATE DEFENCE EX-SOLDI EPS' REQUEST [BY TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT] KAITAIA, Saturday A general meeting of the Mangonui County Returned Soldiers' Association held at Kaitaia on Friday evening carried the following resolution unanimously:—" That this branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association calls upon the Government to proceed immediately to such action as will ensure the adequate defenco of the Dominion." THE COMPULSORY SYSTEM R EINTROD UCTION U RGED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] DUNK DIN, Sunday "The defence system at present is nothing short of a farce," said Colonel J. McPherson at the third annual reunion of the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force last evening, "and unless tho people of this country wake up to that fact we arc in grave danger of losing all that we hold dear. It is because tho past Government did not have the moral courage to continue compulsory military training." Colonel McPherson said lie was not decrying the efforts of those who were carrying on the present system in the face of sneers from some and a general lack of interest. All old soldiers prayed for peace, but those who had taken part in the Great War would not blind themselves to facts, and they hoped the present legislators would have more courage than their predecessors and would once again establish the system of compulsory training.