EQUALITY IN ARMY

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 118, 17 April 1942, Page 7

EQUALITY IN ARMY

Labour Conference Suggests Changes Fourteen remits dealing with the war and military organization were considered, on the basis of recommendations made by a committee convened by Leading Aircraftman Moncur, M.P., at the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington yesterday. The- Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, also addressed the conference on the organization of the Dominion’s, defence. Greater equality of treatment of officers and men in the armed forces was the basis of several remits. The , conference unanimously urged that officers and men should have the same ; food. Arising out of a remit that all promotions should be based on efficiency, and opportunity given follower ranks to qualify for commissions, it was recommended that steps i should be taken to ensure that all offi- • cers appointed to the Home Guard ' are efficient and that courses should : be arranged for training and testing '• of Home Guard officers. The political instruction of troops t at home and abroad through the 1 Workers’ Educational Association was J among the subjects considered, the 3 conference urging that a report should be prepared by returned soldier mem- ? bers of Parliament for consideration 1 by the Minister of Education and the , Rehabilitation Council. Other remits considered concerned the revision of emergency regulations to preserve the right of assembly and prevention of unjustifiable search of premises and also that all men exempt from military service should receive military pay. No recommendation on these was made by the special committee.