CONTROL OF ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23340, 4 November 1937, Page 12

CONTROL OF ARMY

POSITION OF TERRITORIALS MOVE FOR REPRESENTATION DEFEATED BILL PASSES ALL STAGES (From Oub Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. Strong representations that a senior officer of the territorial forces should be eiven a seat on the Army Board were made by members of the Opposition during the committee discussion on the Army Board Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. While stating that the request could not be granted, the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) promisee that every opportunity would be given for the views of territorial officers to be expressed. Mr J G Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) said that the request he was making for a territorial officer to be included as a member of the board was supported by the great majority of persons interested in defence in New Zealand. When it came to the real thing, it was the territorials upon whom the country must depend, but they had felt tremendously out of it for years. They should be taken into the counsels of the Minister, and the best way of doing that would be to include a senior officer of the territorial forces as a member of the Army Board.

"Working Well Together" " I believe that the territorials and the regular forces are working very well together," said the Minister in reply, " and, as a considerable number of our leading staff officers formerly served in the territorial forces, I think that they should know the viewpoint of the territorials. I cannot accept the suggestion that an extra seat should be provided on the board, but I do agree that a great deal will be gained by close co-operation between the territorial and regular officers." \ No request had been received from the territorial officers themselves for representation on the board, the Minister added, but he would be glad to receive their advice and assistance at any time. He felt that it would be possible to serve their interests adequately in that way. " This board will be presided over by a civil Minister and will have a civil army secretary," said Mr J. Hargest (Opposition, Awarua). "Two or three senior territorial officers have come to me and suggested that representation on the board would enable them to make themselvas heard, as they feel that they have something to contribute. I also think that the officers who are to be on the board should be named by rank." Amendment Defeated Mr Coates, moved an amendment to the Bill to alter the personnel of the board from three to four, the additional member to be a senior member of the territorial force. Mr Coates suggested that the Minister would " put a feather in his cap " if he agreed to the change, which, Mr Coates said, was designed solely to secure the increased status which the territorial forces deserved. Mr Hargest and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr A. Hamilton) supported the amendment. The Opposition asked for a division, and the amendment was defeated by 43 votes to 20, the voting being on strict party lines. The Bill was put through the remaining stages and passed without an amendment.