CAREER AT SEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22723, 8 November 1935, Page 9

CAREER AT SEA

THE ROYAL NAVY NEW ZEALAND DIVISION INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES (Peb United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 7. During the next 18 months two new cruisers, the Leander and the Achilles, for the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy will have arrived in Dominion waters. These vessels, allotted to take the iplace of the Dunedin and the Diomede, are of some 7000 tons displacement and have a speed of about 30 knots with a wide radius of action.

The advent of the two new cruisers in the New Zealand Division has made it necessary to reconsider the question of the recruiting of New Zealanders, and to make provision for the future prospects of that personnel in regard to advancement and promotion generally. The ships carry larger crews than the Dunedin and the Diomede, and it is stated that the’personnel requirements will be about 25 per cent, greater. Increased opportunities will, therefore, be open to young men who wish to follow a naval career. lA committee was lately appointed to examine the position and to make recommendations to the Government. “ The naval plan on which the special committee appointed is working, stated the Minister of Defence, Mr J. G. Cobbe, to-day, “has much to recommend it,to New Zealanders keen to enter the naval service: The recommendations of the committee will require to be considered by Cabinet. Until that stage has been reached I am not 'able to make any announcement of the particulars of the,plan beyond the fact that there will be vacant cies for a number of additional men.” It is stated that about 50 per cent, of the ratings at present borne in the division are New Zealand entries. It is understood to be the Government’s wish to draw up a scheme of recruiting which will have the effect in due course of increasing numbers of New Zealand-born ratings to near the 100 per cent. mark. The increase will be effected gradually so as not to disurb by violent fluctuations -in the numbers recruited the, prospects of promotion l for the new entries up to date. , It has been the practice to follow very closely the rules obtaining in the Imperial service relating to advancement and promotion. For the future the rules regarding the actual qualifications to be held by candidates working for promotion will remain the same as in the Imperial Navy, but it is believed the New Zealand authorities will follow their own plans in the' administrative sphere. The effect will be that there_ will be a steady even flow of promotion. Good opportunities will be available to all ratings at present serving as well as to those : who are to be recruited now and in the future. Furthermore, ample opportunities will be given to ratings to improve their professional and educational;' attainments. It is likely that courses of instruction bo arranged on a definite plan. > Both in the division in Australia and in the United Kingdom there is an interchange* scheme now in operation; under the new provisions of which a maximum of 90 ratings ; will be selected to serve iit thdj Jraperjal^Navjr^for of three iyears. This scheme'.will give. New Zealand’; ratings an opportunity of seeing other countries. In every case they will be sent to' England first to be drafted to the Mediterranean or Home Fleets as required by the Admiralty. These interchange ratings will have the fullest opportunity to take advantage of. this service. They are eligible for courses of instruction in the naval schools in England and elsewhere. They will remain at New Zealand rates of pay, and their prospects of promotion will be exactly the same as though they had been : serving in the New Zealand Division. •

“ Though there are many applications from • New Zealand boys to join the navy,” Mr Cohbe said, “the reports to me show’that the experience of past years has been that it is difficult to obtain; suitable candidates in New Zealand in sufficient numbers for the skilled branches, such as engine room artificers, electrical artificers, ordnance artificers,: shipwrights, etc. A few New Zealand men have applied for vacancies and have been entered, and are regarded as, very satisfactory additions to the ships’ complements. 'For the future it is probable that more men can be entered in these branches. It will be necessary to send them for courses of instruction to schools in Australia, and in a limited number of cases in the United Kingdom. The initial cost of training these recruits is hi"h, but the Government will examine the position closely with a view to seeing what arrangements can be made to meet the cost- of training.” Recent announcements by the Minister pointed to the opportunities which were, open to New Zealand ratings to qualify themselves for special selection for promotion to commissioned rank in the Imperial Navy. “It will be realised,” said Mr Cobbe, “ that these opportunities can be taken advantage of only by outstanding young men, but it provides an avenue of promotion which should'be very valuable. Candidates are not only ,competing with their fellows in the New Zealand Division;but are competing with candidates from the whole of the Imperial Navy. This fact should not deter them since it is understood that vacancies under this scheme which the Admiralty provides for every year seldom, if ’ever, have been filled. “ The committee in its report to the Government will also consider the question of promotion to warrant rank, and there will be a number of vacancies for promotion to that rank in the v rious branches. All these vacancies cannot be filled "at once, otherwise there would be n block in promotion. It is probable that they will be made available on a graduated scale designed to provide for filling vacancies gradually during the next 15' or 20 years. “A new booklet, ‘ How to Join the Royal Navy,’ giving brief details of he requirements for candidates and the prospects of advancement and pay in each of the branches, will be issued within the next few months. Parents whose ‘boys are anxious to join the navy are recommended to communicate with the naval secretary or district regimental officers for copies of this booklet when it is issued. The Naval Department tolls me that the booklet will not probably be in the press before nest January as a large number of questions have to bo carefully examined before a final decision is taken on them. The full strength of the division as at present constituted allows for well over 1000 ratings. The pay and conditions are good and there are many ways of supplementing the pay by qualifying in special subjects. A marriage allowance is payable under certain conditions. Each man is credited with a sum depending on his rank on account of deferred pay which is placed in the Jinn Vis of the Public Trustee and aecumnbites with interest until he is finally (Vv.eharged. The money due to him is then paid over in a lump sum. The navy, therefore, provides a good career with reasonable prospects and opportuni-

ties of seeing the world, and should be attractive to a young man or boy who desires to follow the sea as a profession.” ,