COASTAL DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23111, 9 August 1938, Page 10

COASTAL DEFENCE

FORCE OF 300 MEN RESERVISTS' COURSES TERRITORIAL RECRUITING AN IMPROVEMENT SHOWN In order to man the coastal defence guns in times of national emergency it is proposed to build up a force of 300 men trained as far as possible under tho Territorial Reserve scheme. Ihe third course for members of the reserve at Narrow Neck will bo completed to-morrow. Forty-eight men have undergone training in this batch and a selected 12 have just been transferred as permanent members of the Royal New Zealand Artillery. They are now to undergo a further training course at Trentham. Twelve others of the batch will leave to-morrow to take up private employment, but their services will be retained as reservists under the scheme. Tho remaining 24 have elected to join a fourth batch of 50 for a further three months' training at Narrow Neck. The fourth course will start at the conclusion of the third. Training at Trentham In addition, a contingent of 67 men will leave Auckland shortly under the reserve scheme for infantry training at Trentham. So far 47 men have been recruited from the province, about 60 per cent being from tho city. This contingent will undergo the full three months training at Trentham. The scheme for providing a trained nucleus of reservists for tho Territorial Forco is proving highly successful, it being an indication of the keenness of the men that many desire to adopt soldiering as a career or to extend their periods of training. It was originally intended to train men for the reserve from the ranks of unemployed and from farmers' sons, who could spare the time in the winter months only, but courses are now continuous with the object of building up a small force of men who have had more intensified training than is possible with the ordinary territorial. Effect of Increased Pay Recruiting for the Territorial Force has improved. There was an increase for July in tho establishment over the district of 108, compared with the preceding month's figures. Tho actual enlistments wore higher than that, but there are always a number of retirements. "The increases in pay for territorials will undoubtedly contribute toward strengthening the force," said Colonel 0. H. Mead, D.5.0., officer commanding the Northern military district. "The increases may not have a big influence on the actual recruiting, for men join for other reasons than pay. But they have removed disabilities which prevented many men from attending camp, and our experience has been that if men are unable to take part in camp training they soon lose interest and drift away."

20TH LIGHT BATTERY FORTNIGHTLY PARADES Parades of tho Auckland Battery of Light Artillery (20th Battery) are to be held fortnightly in the Ferry Buildings at 7.15 p.m.,.the first parade taking place to-night. The training, which has recently been supplemented by courses in radio communication and mechanical transport, includes signalling, gun-drill, manoeuvres and instruction in organisation, rangetaking, artillery survey and director work. All interested are invited to attend the battery parades.