Major-General Puttick In Wellington

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 89, 12 September 1941, Page 4

Major-General Puttick In Wellington

TRAINING METHODS

The new Chief of the General Staff, New Zealand, Major-General E. Puttick, D. 5.0., arrived in Wellington yesterday. He said that as far as he could judge the training of soldiers in New Zealand was most satisfactory, but as he had been away from the country a long time he would not suggest any changes in training methods he might be likely to make. He was not yet sufficiently familiar with the home defence system ’in New Zealand to make any detailed comment, but the longer and more complete the training given to the Territorial 1 Force in New Zealand the better preliminary it would make to the subsequent entry of such trainees into the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Major-General Puttick, on his way to New Zealand, took part in several consultations on the defence of the Pacific, but he said these were secret and he would report on them to the Government. Any announcement regarding them would have to be made by the Prime Minister. Referring to the Middle East, he said the position generally had improved as the result of the advance in Syria and the clearing up of the situation in Iraq and Iran. The base in the Middle East was enormously strongstronger than ever it had been. The troops were in good trim and wanting to meet the Germans again: this time with a more even balance and air support. They were still training because training was never finished with. The men were well cared for>in camp. There had been complaints, but perhaps these were by people who complained about anything. In Singapore there was efficiency and confidence.

Major-General Puttick was met on arrival by the members of his family, Mrs. Puttick, Misses Denise, Diana and Beverley Puttick, and an official party headed by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones: Brigadier N. W. McD. Weir, officer commanding the Central Military District: Colonel A. E. Conway, Adjutant-General: Colonel H. E. Avery. Quartermaster General; Colonel L. G Goss, Colonel of the General Staff Major F. J C. Piggot, representing Lieutenant-General Sir Guy Williams, military adviser to the Government: the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop, and the president of the N.Z.R.S.A., Mr. Perry, M.L.C., who is also a member of the War Cabinet.