INTERIM ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26198, 8 July 1946, Page 6

INTERIM ARMY

CRITICISM OF SYSTEM PERMANENT FORCE PREFERABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CAREER The opinion that the interim army system, to be introduced in New Zealand on October 1. should be abolished in favour of a regular force, was advanced to a Daily Times reporter on Saturday by a returned officer. Recruiting should be carried out for a permanent force, he said, so that those enlisting would have the opportunity to make the army a career instead of an interim job, as would be the case under the present scheme. He added in support of his contention that a number of members of the permanent forces had relinquished their appointments on their return from overseas. In many cases they had expressed dissatisfaction with the rate of promotion, and with what they described as low rates of pay in comparison with those offering in commercial positions. Men who had returned from overseas were looking for something more permanent than a job which would last from six to eighteen months, as was the case in the applications that had been invited for the interim army. There was no guarantee offered to those who enlisted in the interim force, he said, that they would be retained after the expiry of the term for which they enlisted, although the cream of those who enlisted might be given the opportunity to remain. The men who had had service overseas in some cases with long service in the army, were the type who would be most suited to the new force, but he did not think the present system would have much attraction for them. He said that he considered that the age limit for entry to the interim army should be lowered to 18 years, instead of 20 years. The type of young man who was desired was already either apprenticed or was working in some job with prospects at the age of 20. and those who were likely to be attracted to the interim for'-e would possibly be those who had already unsuccessfully tried One or two jobs. Another point to be considered, he said, was that men would be dis'harged from the interim army on March 31 of each of the next two years. This was at the beginning of winter, when there was little prospect of obtaining seasonal work to tide them over until they obtained permanent employment The loss of seniority by men who subsequently were absorbed into the permanent forces from the interim army was also a point to be considered, the officer stated. In the majority of cases, also recruits to the permanent force were not of much real value until they had had about two or three years’ experience.