DEFENCE FORCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18444, 30 March 1922, Page 9

DEFENCE FORCE.

PROPOSED REDUCTIONS. STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER. (Per Press Association!. WELLINGTON, March 29. The Minister of Deteuce, speaking of the reductions in his Department, said l the task was difficult because a large number of excellent officers had spent the best part of their lives in the service, and are handicapped in taking up a new career. In many of these cases they had been given the option of stepping down and taking positions little inferior to those they occupied. Such consideration had been given to each individual case. Notwithstanding the reductions, very fine work was being done by those left. The Minister said it was difficult to decide how to treat Territorials consistent with efficiency, and carrying out the law. It was with great reluctance he had to sousider the abolition of camps. Personally, he believed they were a wonderful aid to efficiency, and it was very difficult, especially in the case of mounted corps, to do without them. Units might give trainees the option of consolidating official drills in a seven-days’ camp for which no pay would be given. Every effort on the part of the trainees to hold such camps would be encouraged by the Department. The sweeping reductions which have been made in the Department have resulted entirely from the necessity for drastic economies in the Public Service, added the Minister, and not because of the desirability of reducing the staff owing to the end of the war. If the result of experience shows that enlargement of the personnel and reinstatement of the conditions abolished at present is necessary to the efficiency of the service, there will not be a great deal of difficulty in the near future in seriously considering the position when financial conditions improve. Reductions in officers and other ranks of the Defence Department total over a thousand. The civil staff has been reduced from 520 in 1919 to 95. The training age for Territorials will be further reduced from 22 to 21, and there will be only three annual quotas under training. Last year the age was reduced from 25 to 22. Camps will be abolished and home training only conducted, consisting of 20 drills and 12 halfday parades. Rifle Clubs would be encouraged by cheap rifles at £1 each, and ammunition at one quarter cost. It is stated some seventy Ser-geant-Majors on the permanent staff department have received notice.