SURPLUS OF OFFICERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1917, Page 3

SURPLUS OF OFFICERS.

THE AVENUES Ol<' PROMOTION. From Our Own Correspondent. Wellington, Nov. 30. A surplus of officers in the reinforcement calnps is'one of' the problems troubling the training staff at the present time. Some time ago the authorities called into camp over 100 territorial officers, who entered with commissioned rank. Tt is no secret that some of these officers got their commissions in the old easy ways, and would have difficulty in qualifying under Expeditionary Force conditions. Then came the reduction in Hie reinforcement quotas and an increase in the number of men returning from the front to take iw commissions with the reinforcement drafts. The result ( !ms been that many of the territorial officers have been rendered unnecessary from the point of view of the staff. The surplus officers were asked to take non-commissioned rank in the reinforeementSi and a few of them consented. Hut the majority held out for their full military rights. They were members of the Expeditionary Force, and could not lie deprived of their commissions except for misconduct. At the present time more than 100 of them are on leave with full pay. Incidentally they are blocking, the avenues of promotion to non-commis-siorM officers of the later reinforcements.