BRIGHTER ARMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 5

BRIGHTER ARMY.

ATTRACTING RECRUITS. REGALIA RESTORED. PROMOTION BY MERIT. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received March 7, 5.5 p.m. London, March 6. Apart from a decrease of £7,000,000, the most striking feature of Labour’s army estimates is an attempt to attract recruits by re-introducing a smarter full-dress uniform.

It is intended to provide regiments not possessing full dress with smart khaki jackets with pipe clayed belts, and to restore to Scottish regiments the historic sporans, coloured stockings, white gaiters, tartan trousers, and Glengarry caps.

The army is now 550 below establishment. With a view to increasing the number of officers, the Army Council has reduced the Sandhurst course by 18 months, and introduced promotion by merit, attempting to remove the impression that a military career is uncertain. The estimates provide for sufficient new light tanks to complete one battalion and begin the equipment of a second; also, a second motor artillery brigade. Concerning the army estimates, Mr. Stephen Walsh (Secretary for War) states: “I am only able to satisfy myself that the estimates are in accordance with the policy of the late Government with due regard to efficiency and economy.”

Progress has been made in the manufacture of new light tanks. Experiments for the mechanical transport of field artillery are so premising that a second brigade is being equipped, and important work has been done in evolving explosives from .materials obtainable entirely within the British Isles.