NAVAL SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23780, 7 October 1940, Page 10

NAVAL SERVICE

"VOLUNTEER RESERVE RECRUITING FOR SCHEME A EXPLANATION BY MINISTER [by TELF.fiHAril —I'HKSS ASSOCIATION"] "WELLIXGTON, Salnrilay Tlie acquisition of :i New Zealand certificate of competence as master of a pleasure yacht docs not contcr any right or claim to lie accepted for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve either in New Zealand or for service in the Royal Navy, said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, commenting on certain references to yachtsmen studying navigation with a view to obtaining yachtiuasters' certificates, which might give the impression that this would be a qualification for entry to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

Recalling recruiting schemes announced by him on June 7 last, Mr. Jones said it had been clearly stated that entries for those schemes would close on June 20. It was one of the qualifications for scheme A that candidates should hold a New Zealand yachtmaster's certificate, or an equivalent, and a number of applicants had stated that although not at the time possessing the certificate, they were working for it. These men had been informed that if and when they succeeded in passing they would he considered, but no promise was then given that they would be accepted. '"Since then," said Mr. Jones, "the Admiralty has informed the Government that it does not intend to continue to enter officers under scheme A and it is the present intention not to continue entries under this scheme after the ">0 originally asked for by the Admiralty has been obtained. That number is now almost reached, and it is unlikely that more than a very few men who have only started to work for the yachtmastcr's certificate since the scheme originally was announced can be accepted, and even so, only candidates who applied to the Naval Secretary before June 29 can be considered." Mr. Jones added that in a few cases men who had applied since June 29 stating that they were working for certificates had been informed that recruiting had closed, but should they eventually acquire the certificate, it would bo noted in the Navy Office in case the scheme, or a similar scheme, should be reopened, but this did not imply any promise or undertaking of acceptance.