A GRIEVANCE AT THE FRONT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14195, 12 January 1917, Page 2

A GRIEVANCE AT THE FRONT.

[ It is stated to-day in -a message retieiyed by the Minister of *>Deferioe fi;onv 1 General Godley thatt Mi*.. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward on their recent visit- to France went nearer to the front, than any Premiers er Ministers had- done. J.t is doubtful, however,, whether they, had an opportunity of getting , closely in touch' with officers and' men and hearing something of their grievances, particularly those of , the ' -Main Expeditionary Force aiid earlier contingents, who have borno the heat and burden of 'the day through two years and more of rigorous campaigning, and who find' their way .3 promotion barred by the large number of colbnels; majors and captains sent out from Ne\t r xZealand' "with -.''every reinforcement' draft, It is most . disheartening to men who have :' fought' through Gallipoli and the Somme that Colonel Allen should : still be sending out senior officers ••'with- no militaiy .experience to take, command of companies*, and . battalions. ~ A small percentage of n.c.o.' have been commandeered from the field, but /the number" is hot' nearly so ilarge as the merit of their service"warrants, whilst, "the subalterns who have worked so hard" and 'fought- so- gallantly find it most galling that their way to promotion should be blocked 1 by the number 'of officers 'd!?' higher rankv ; who have come f orwaj^d" with recent ■ reinforcements. Tha ; of 'the ; Aus : tralian forces g^ a' much better chance of promotion; for the practice there has been not- .to send a complete staff with each jiagijafprcement draft, but to_maintain .perrnanerit' staffs ■' ni . |camp Yuiii ; oii' the traiispbf ty to' sav*e* bverlbadfi-^thb line remmeh*&-with: ne* , |k' and uhbrted- btfi| cers. ' ' ; Canada ; also - mautiges tln^gVmueli better, ""'ag*' the following - froni- a^.Va\vcouveis^ai^c, shows. :.'. "If '. an 'offic'e,*; ' is above* 'W^eVrajnik of -lieutenant he'will' rio.tr be vp'ermited !;to '. I^ye Engl*ii)(M^*^ vice with; the ,Can**^an.forceß,^ac^r(ibu^ to a message received at " headqu'ar .SP'S. ■of 'Military. District. Noav J*J#&^m' me . Department of . Militia; ■ ! - Tms V *meai&, _the military authorities sayr'*that' senior officers! , Si'ho 'leaVe/ Canada' with" commands, also ' captains arid majors', will either require to revert to lieutenancy'^ return, unless some special (duties .ith 'assigned them. ; The step -has come ds no: Surprise-. in military circles, 1 since; the policy was -adopted with-., -respect •■: to Canadian battalions in England and of breaking them up ; to reinforce those in France, thereby destroying their dentity, arid automatically relieving senior officers of their commands. The latter, it was pointed out, 'could not expect to go to France aud take the places of officers already in command of bat-

talions, and who had the additional, fef commendation of haying had exterisive' practical; experietfce. ,*. lt is' believed 'thfc; this.-, policy of/sph'ttingiip 'unit-^' has ;be- ■. oome necessary, largely as., theivresitltvof the ' need/f or mehV at the^f rOnt, :(dU6 ; to. the; extensiv^* activity of theV, Canadian divisions in 'recent operations. * It is Aim v said that the 'step; has been taken *|o \ obviate the situation of an officer jOf \ superior rank, but; without practical .jwu* experience", going to Ifranee nv^ith' itis ' battalion and taking , up a "position of. command over operation^ in .charge of an officer of -lower i'ank^ but who may have had much the more valuable' ex- : perience of the two." We- feel sure that if Colonel Allen would .take a leaf from Canada's book and ? ordain that, every- officer .who- goes, f orwi;cf f i ; bin lif-jWr ' ] onrrauist begin at^the bottorii 'run*Vf6f the flaidder as.ajsubalte'rii^ F 'and.;'.take>«;-fls' chance of promotion bh merit Vwifch^the. men who have s^eh 1 extensive *w.ar sei*vide, he wbiild be'doirig* ariact-'Of j«*-'' tice that would ■dominahd' -t_fe\f to our ' soldiers in theV^fTeTd' • wnb^V by their > bravery, skill arid^Vehdui'anCe^hfev^ .wort ' such; high fame iov New Zealand. ':•'-: -