THE NEW ARMY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 245, 15 October 1937, Page 8

THE NEW ARMY

SCHOOLS OF INSTRUCTION THREE OF THEM ESTABLISHED SPECIALISED TRAINING t Ter Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Oct. 14. “One of the principal innovations in the Government’s scheme for a reorganisation of the army consists of the introduction of schools of instruction in each military district for the purpose of giving additional training to territorial officers, non-commis-sioned officers and men,” stated the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones) in an interview to-day. “This training is over and above the annual camp and week-end parades. Three schools have been established, one at Narrow Neck camp, near Auckland, one at Trentham camp and one at Burnham, camp, near Christchurch. “Although these schools wero established only during the last month they are already promising to be a most successful factor in the training of the territorial soldier,” said th& Minister. “During the last three weeks a total of eight courses of instruction had been held and the numbers who have attended far exceeded expectations. So far, the subjects which have been studied are: Section leading for both mounted rifles and infantry, heavy machine-gun, rifle and grenade and recruit training.

“The three district schools will also train the newly-instituted special reserve for the territorial force, which has been established with the object of ensuring that fortress troops, both artillery and infantry, have a welltrained rank file capable of being called ud instantly for immediate service in the event of a national emergency. There are over 100 special reservists training at the moment. They will be succeeded by further batches at intervals of approximately three months.”