GENERAL PUTTICK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26027, 15 December 1945, Page 8

GENERAL PUTTICK

WORK AS ARMY CHIEF GOVERNMENT TRIBUTES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 14. Appreciation of the valuable services of Lieutenant-general E. Puttick, who is to retire at the end of the year from his present post of Chief of Staff and General Officer Commanding, Military Forces, was expressed to-day by the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, and other speakers at an official Government farewell held- in the Cabinet room at Parliament Buildings. The guests, included representatives of the United Nations, the armed forces and State departments associated with New Zealand’s war effort. Best wishes for a happy retirement were extended to General Puttick and Mrs Puttick, and General Puttick’s successor, Brigadier N. McD. Weir, whs congratulated on , his appointment. Mr Fraser said that General Puttick had had a long and'honourable career in the public service, first in the Public Works Department and then in the defence forces. From the moment that he took up his present command he had given faithful service to his country. Mr Fraser said he wished publicly to thank General Puttick and all who worked with him for their great assistance. General Puttick had filled his post with credit and great advantage to the war effort. He had served the »le of his country faithfully and and the members of the War Cabinet and the Government could not have wished for a better colleague oxcomrade. „ The Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, said that General Puttick had been a great help to the War Cabinet in the war effort. A former Prime Minister, the late Mr M. J. Savage, was greatly indebted to General Puttick for the help he had received on defence problems at the Imperial Conference in London in 1937. In those days the Government was trying to impress the authorities in London with the importance of the Pacific and its views had been borne out. General Puttick, who was greeted with applause, said that the success of arms depended on two things—organisation and leadership. He was very well served by the other leaders under him, from the top right down to the bottom. It was on the regular force of officers, n.c.o.’s and men that fell the task of training the citizen army and arranging for its expansion. Everyone knew the successful results. Important Decisions General Puttick complimented the Prime Minister and the War Cabinet for the courage that they had shown in the decisions taken regarding the employment of our forces, especially the forces overseas. He thought they were a precedent which would be of historical and transcending importance' in the years to come. Referring to the appointment of Brigadier Weir as his successor, General Puttick said - that this would be the first occasion on which an officer trained at Duntroon had assumed the post of Chief of Staff. It was a notable event for this country.