Territories

Men Wanted For

Patrol Officers, Medical Assistants, Etc.

THE graduates from the “School of Tropical Administration,” set up in Duntroon Military College, Aus tralia, to train selected young men to become patrol officers, etc., in the Aus tralian Pacific Territories, apparently are not sufficient to meet requirements. Patrol officers, medical assistants and clerks are being advertised for.

Over 40 young men took the first ten weeks’ course. Less than half made the grade, when the examination took place about -Tune, 1945. Of the subsequent classes little has been heard.

The school was fathered by the De partment of Army Research—the purpose and functions of which still are a mystery to common people and was the god child of the Territories Department—at any rate, the secretary of that Depart ment. Mr. J. R. Halligan, was a member of the Selection Committee which “con sidered” annlications for admittance to the school from young Australian Ser vicemen. The graduates annarently have been swallowed up in ANGAU and. numerically, they do not meet require ments.

There is no indication of whether the School of Tropical Administration will continue or whether, like most similar wartime institutions created bv idealists ' T, hh no money-sense, it will fold up and disappear.

APPLICANTS for the positions adver tised on January 10 must be younf? men between the ages of 20 and 30

for patrol officers; 20 and 35, for medical assistants; and 18 and 35 for clerks.

Would-be patrol officers are asked to state their height and chest measure ments.

It has been suggested that patrol officers need to be of goodly girth in order to impress the natives among whom they will patrol. Young medical assis tants patrol just as much as patrol officers, however, and a large chest mea surement there might have similar ad vantage.

All appointees will be on 12 months’ probation, after which time, if suitable, the men will be appointed to the Pro visional Administration or “any perma nent service which may replace the Public Service of the Provisional Ad ministration.” All must undergo a medical examination before going to New Guinea.

The salary range for patrol officers is £336-£534: for medical assistants, £3OO - and for clerks, £3OO-£4OB. (Salaries earned in the New Guinea Territories are not subject to Australian Income Tax.) All initial appointments may, of course, lead to higher things, with an appropriate increase in salary range.

As well as chest measurements, etc., patrol officers should state their educa tional qualifications and sporting record: medical assistants their experience if any. of military medical units, medical work in hospitals, male nursing, first-aid. sanitary work, VD work, municipal health work, etc. It is desirable for clerks to have passed the Leaving Cer tificate examination or equivalent Uni versity entrance.

It is remarkable that although apnfi cants are all to be of military age, they are not asked to state their record of military service, which should be a num ber one qualification for both patrol

officer and medical assistant duties in tropical New Guinea. Mr. Ward, seem ingly, is giving full rein to the policy favoured by a section of the Australian Government —namely, no preference to returned soldiers.

Applications should be made in writ ing, in letter form, to the Secretary, De partment of External Territories, Can berra, before February 15, 1946.