VOLUNTEER FORCES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18757, 13 July 1935, Page 8

VOLUNTEER FORCES

(To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir,-—'Twice recently there have appeared in your columns, reports containing very'derogatory statements regarding the members ol’ the volunteer force. I fully realise that those articles are not editorial opinion, nor may they be intended to apply in their full severity-to our local units, but the fact remains that such statements appearing in the local press Inust react unfavorably on the regard in which volunteers are held _by the local public. The man who joins the volunteer ■ force has no easy path. He is regarded bv the public yaryingly, from humorous-toleration to open hostility/ by the military authorities with • supreme indifference, and'-bow apparently'by ‘'former officers of-the Foi'ce 7,f as 'a' ebnipleto degenerate. I refer issue ol Wedftesday, July *lO, where, in a general tirade against ' the volunteer force, the following appears: “The army is definitely not attracting the best type of recruit,” and again when referring to poor attendance at parades: “this as well as the typo ol recruit attracted to the forces is found to be discouraging, etc.’’ According to-that, the type who will not serve voluntarily is better’ than the type who will/'Tliat, to even'spe.tvk charitably, is a raiS'Statement ancP grossly unfair. \ye have Colonel Gambrill’s assurtince that the type offering is suitable, apd even the smallness, of members parading regularly is ; not perhaps solely the fault of the trainee, bid that is n service matter.' The figures given comparing camp attendance, witji compulsory training days are no use whatever’in judging the volunteer. Employers now are not obliged to free their employees -fo> cainp ns formerly. It. is surely’ obvious that few trainees would forgo the enjoyment of camp if it were possible to attend, so why blame the men? Another issue of your paper contained matter dealing with the proposed ''composite camp next year. Dealing with signal matters the statement was made that wireless was to be the main vehicle of communication, using the military sets either already lit New Zealand or on t he way from England, but that the main difficulty was the scarcity of men capable "of using them. Thar is another bouquet of raspberries for, the volunteer. There Is no scarcity of men capable of reaching the required standard. The day. lias long gone past when a wireless operator was someone to gaze on with awe. The position of tjm local signal units is that they, as regimental signallers, are not allowed to train in wireless procedure. As soon as that ban is lifted men are ready to train in excess ol’ the number ot sots that are likely to become available. Trusting that these notes may help to prevent the public being unduly influenced by the misleading statements in the articles referred to. —I atn, etc., W. HUTCHISON.