SUPPLY OF OFFICERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9246, 13 January 1916, Page 6

SUPPLY OF OFFICERS

FOB EXPEDITIONARY FORCES. DEFENCE MINISTER'S INTENTIONS. Referring yesterday to the provision of officers for the expeditionary forces, the Minister for Defence (Hon. J. Alien) stated that the regulations relating to the selection of officers from the territorial force were to be tightened. An officer was allowed, under the present rule, to take commissioned rank in the expeditionary force after he had held a territorial commission for six months. The period appeared to be too short under the conditions created by the withdrawal of a large proportion of the experienced officers from the territorials. Mr Allen' added that a. good class of officer was secured by promotion from the ranks of the non-commissioned officers of the expeditionary fore*. These men had learned their work thoroughly in the training camps before they sat for examination for commissions. Over sixty promotions of this kind had been made from the ranks of the 9th Reinforcements, the new officers being transferred to later reinforcements. " The Minister mentioned that he was trying to arrange for the granting of commissions to some of the men who had been invalided to New Zealand and were returning with later drafts. The officer commanding the expeditionary forces at the front had to be the final authority, and there were obvious difficulties in the way. The appointment of officers in New Zealand must not be allowed to bar the path of promotion for men who had distinguished themselves in the field.