SPECIAL FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23931, 5 October 1939, Page 6

SPECIAL FORCE

THE SECOND DRAFT VOLUNTEERS FOR CAMP SIGNALLERS AND BASE DETAILS BIG PARTY LEAVES TO-DAY The volunteers comprised of Otago's second contribution to the personnel of the Trentham military camp left Dunedin yesterday morning. They were not a big draft, there being only about 20 divisional signallers and members of, headquarters and base details, but the sun shone just as brilliantly for them as it had for Tuesday's much bigger draft. Again the public took a keen interest in the departure, but the fact that there were many fewer men entraining and the use of a more definite system of checking the parade resulted in a complete absence of the seeming confusion that characterised Tuesday's departure. Yesterday's draft, which travelled on the through express, paraded at Queen's Gardens, where a crowd of about 1000 people . was present at a brief ceremony. The Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) congratulated the volunteers on their example and gave them an assurance that if the war were carried on, there would be thousands more young New Zealanders joining them. He wished them good health and good luck. The parade marched to the station behind the military band of the Otago Regiment and, after it had been checked by the transporting officer, Staff-sergeant R. B. M. Boult, R.N.Z.A., in a space cleared for the purpose by constables, men were released to mingle with their friends until the train left. It was another cheery send-off. although not as bright as that of Tuesday. The crowd was still thick and the train pulled out to the accompaniment of cheers. Rifle Battalion and Engineers The biggest draft of the week will leave this morning. A party of 160 members of the Rifle Battalion will assemble at Queen's Gardens at 10.15 o'clock and entrain for Burnham at 10.50, and a unit of 13 engineers will assemble at 11 o'clock and entrain for the Waikato camp at 11.35. The members of these drafts are as follows: — Rifle Battalion J. R. Adcock, J. E. Aitken, E. J. Alden, W. L. Alexander (Oamaru), J. J. Anderson, L. L. Andrewes, W. Angus, H. K. Ashton (Macrae's Flat), W G. Aughton, J. A. Ballantyne (Waika'ka), C. S. Beel (Hyde), T. Blight (Cromwell), E. W. Bolwell, D. H. Boyes, D. H. Bretherton (Lowburn Ferry), E. L. Briggs, E. A. Brown (Ravensbourne), K. G. Butler, R. A. Cairney, K. Mel. Cameron, L. G. Cannan, R. J. E. Carvalho, A. E. Chalmers, H. J. Clare (Alexandra). G. F. Clulee, A. R. Coulter, J. A. Cousins, John Alfred Cowie (Lindis Valley), G. W. Crawford, G. H. Cunningham (Ranfurly), S. S. Daniel, J. T. Darling, W. D. Davidson, J. M. F. Devenny, L. J. Dickens, W. Easton, R. W. Edwards, R. C. Ellis (Green Island), G. L. Familton (Oamaru), P. S. Flood, J. P. Fraser, T. I. Frater (Dunback). F. T. Geary (Mosgiel), A. L. Gibbs (Ranfurly), J. H. Giles (Naseby), W. A. Glue (Oamaru), L. G. Gower (Alexandra), W. G. A. Grainger, R. J. Grant (Maruakoa), Hugh Greig, W. Greigg. J. L M. Grove, J. S. B. Haig, J. Hamilton (Outram), J. F. Herd. J. Hesson, R. J. Hewett, F. B. Hodge, J. Hogg, H. D. Holmes, J. A. Horn, L..D. L. Houghton. R. Kearney, E. C. Keen, H. W. Kelliher (Oamaru), L. R. Landoas (Kokonga), I. Lang (Palmerston), S. Lawson, W. P. Lee. N. D. Low (Oamaru), A. Lucas, R. J. Lynch, J. L. Maclean, C. H. MacMillan (Ravensbourne), J. J. McCarthy, A. G. McCutcheon, I. McFadyen, C. A. McGinnis (Alexandra), E. McGowan (Patearoa), L. L. Mclnnes, I. A. McLay, J. McLeod, C. A. McMurtrie, W. McNair, H. J. McTaggart, V. Mark, A. W. Marshall (Oamaru), E. F. Mason, F.. T. Mason, S. J. Mason, J. A. Mathewson, L. G. Mendelssohn, J. K. Michael, R. M. Miller (Oamaru), E. S. Mills, B. M. Mitchell (Waihola), R. W. Mitchell, J. M. Monteath (Oamaru), C. L. Moore, J. R. Morrison (Waitahuna), W. -D. Morrison (Ranfurly), D. A. Muir, T. F. Mulhern, J. T. Murdoch. A. R. Neilson, C J. Nisbet (Oamaru), O. O'Reilly, R. A. S. Orbell (Oamaru), L. M. O'Sullivan, S. J. Parker, A. R. Parkin, W. A. Paterson, A. Patrick, R. Pinney (Mihiwaka), A. L. P. Pitts, T. J. E. Pitts, W. R. Rees, L. T. Rees (Omimi), J. H. Richan. W. J. Robinson (Alexandra), L. L. Roebuck, W. E. Sandford (Moa Creek), F. T. Scott, I. C. Scoular (Omakou), W. A. Sharp, D. Shaw (Palmerston), H. W. Skinner, A. Smith (Green Island), F. M. Sparrow, R. I. H. Spiers (Outram), W. J. Sproule, J. Stevenson, G. Stewart, G. Stirling, P. J. Stokes, D. T. Sutherland (Macrae's Flat), N. Sutherland, E. W. Swain (Mihiwaka), W. J. Tait, C. Trevathan (Pembroke), J. A. Trotter, J. G. Tryon (Lauder), G. L. Tyrie, I. Ure (Oamaru), T. E. Vivian, Allan Harper Walker, Archibald Hunter Walker, J. Walker (Lindis Pass), J. F. Wells, A. H. White (Middlemarch), G. G. Wight, A. D. Williams, F. Willis, R. J. Willocks (Balclutha), N. J. Wills (Omakou), H. Wilson, L. A. Wilson, M. J. Wilson (Oamaru), S. S. F. Wilson (Oamaru), R. D. Wink (Naseby). Engineers M. A. Andrew. I. W. J. Begg, C. C. Boswell (Ravensbourne), J. A. Forbes (Waitahuna), P. H. G. Hamilton, G. Hope (Gisborne), J. P. Middleditch, D. F. McFarlaae, C. O. Ryder, E. L. J. Smail, G. E. Stevens, W. Thomson, O. D. Walesby. FURTHER REGISTRATIONS ' TOTAL REACHES 987 An additional 18 registrations were made at the Kensington Drill Hall yesterday, bringing the total for Area II up to 987. Further men who have made applications are as follows: Classified in Group No. 1 (officers on the reserve or active list), Group No. 1A (retired or ex-officers), Group No. 2 (single men), Group No. 3 (married men without children), and Group No. 4 married men with children) : Group No. 2 John Harold Belfield, Eric Faithful, Alexander Gardner. Malcolm Kitchener Gibbs George Barton Harkneiss, George Henry Hesson (Alexandra), David Keane, Robert Vernon Keast, William John Marriott, Roderick Matheson (Cromwell), Walter Douglas McFarlane, Anthony Montgomery, Francis Raymond Muntz, John Terence O'Donnell (Alexandra), Cyril William Booth McKenzie Kenardy Speirs, John Joseph Ward. Group No. 4 Albert Barclay, Percy Dunn, Nelson Harry Ellis. Victor Julius Forsstrom, Adolph Ambrose Helm, John Morrison Horrell (Hawea Flat), Crawford Spiers (Macandrew Bay).

A MAORI BATTALION SERVICE IN OR BEYOND NEW ZEALAND PREPARATIONS FOR RECRUITING (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. A rifle battalion composed of Maoris for service in or beyond New Zealand as combatant troops is to be formed. The Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) said to-day that this decision had been reached by the Government after consultation with a committee of members of Parliament, including the four Maori members. Preparations ar2 being made for recruiting to commence on October 9. Maori registration agents will be appointed for duty in those parts of the Dominion populated by Maoris, and these recruiting agents will work under the directipn of and assist the Army area officers. The names and addresses of the Maori registration agents will be notified at a later date. In the first instance, recruiting is to be open tc single men between the ages of 21 and 35. Members of the Maori race who wish to offer their services will be required to complete the registration form, copies of which will be obtainable at Army offices, Post Offices and from any of the recruiting agents. It will be about the middle' of November at the earliest before the men enter camp. It has been decided that Maoris who have already enlisted in the special force will be given the option of remaining in that force or transferring to the Maori battalion. Certain key appointments in the Maori battalion are to be filled by specially selected officers and warrant officers of the regular and territorial forces, and as it is intended that eventually nearly all the officers and n.c.o. s are to be Maoris, steps will be taken to train the most suitable men from the ranks for these appointments. A site near Palmerston North has been selected for the camp. UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTECTION OF RIGHTS LEGISLATIVE ACTION (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. The rights of university students who undertake war service are protected by a clause in the Statutes Amendment Bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives to-night. The clause empowers the Senate of the University of New Zealand to confer diplomas, etc., on students who are on war service, notwithstanding that certain requirements have not been met. , Mr J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) expressed a hope that every endeavour would be made to avoid the mistakes made during the last war when men who had been away on active service found themselves seriously prejudiced when they returned to civil life. ■ "The last time, in spite of what Parliament tried to do, these men did not get an equal start when they came back," Mr Coates said. " I would like the Acting Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) to look into the question and see if it is possible to avoid the mistakes of the past." Mr Fraser said he would be very pleased to do that, and any improvements members could suggest would be welcome. The University Senate had been consulted in the drafting of the clause, and was anxious that the rights of students should be protected. ARTILLERY GUNNERS AN ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Oct. 4. An enthusiastic send-off was given by citizens to 122 artillery gunners when they marched through the city this morning, led by the Artillery Band, to entrain for Ngaruawahia. Flags appeared on the line of march. One woman walked beside the band over the whole route carrying a Union Jack. TEACHERS ENLIST AUCKLAND BOARD'S DISTRICT (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Oct. 4. Twenty primary school teachers in the Auckland Education Board's district have entered military camps, and at to-day's meeting of the board it was stated that many more teachers have enlisted and are awaiting calls to camps.