Defence Troubles In
p. 26 · Read in the full issue
N. Guinea
“Diggers” Demand Enrolment
AS a result of strong representations made to the Federal Government at Canberra, about a score of Germans have been removed from the Mandated Territory of New Guinea to Australia, for internment.
We are advised that there is discon tent in New Guinea owing to the manner in which the Defence Force there has been organised. An age limit was imposed, with the result that practically the whole of the old soldiers in New Guinea—of whom there are many, and the great majority of them in exceedingly good physical condition—were not permitted to enter the newly-organised Volunteer Rifles. It was proposed, moreover, to organise the Rifles on strictly Admini stration lines —that is to say, experienced soldiers, some of whom had had com missions in the last war, were expected to accept as their commanding officers the gentlemen who happened to hold leading positions in the Administration service. This resulted in strong repre sentations being made to Canberra. (See later report on page 6.)
New Guinea Volunteer Rifles
Some hundreds of men have now been enrolled in the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, the formation of which was authorised at the beginning of the war and which is under the control and dir ection of Lieut.-Colonel Walstab.
Having completed the necessary en rolments in Rabaul, Lieut.-Colonel Wal stab left for the Morobe towns, and was engaged in the following week in enrol ing men for the force in Wau, Salamaua, Lae and Bulolo.