School For NG Cadet

Patrol Officers

CANBERRA, March 5.

THE pre-war system of training recruits for the District Services and Native Affairs Department in New Guinea is to be modified in the Papua-New Guinea Provisional Administration. Re cruits will now attend a preliminary “school” similar to that which was run by the Army for ANGAU between Feb ruary, 1945, and March, 1946, instead of, as formerly, during a term of practical held work in the Territory before attend ing University in Sydney.' On March 5. Australian Cabinet ap nroved the following recommendations "rom the Minister of External Territories for the training of officers in the New Guinea services: • A school to provide training to be established. • The school to be non-residential and, subject to the approval of the De partment of the Army, to be located in Army premises at George’s Heights, Syd ney. • The school to be placed under the academic and administrative control of the Commonwealth Director of Education whose responsibility in this connection will be through the Department of Ex ternal Territories. • The school during 1946-47 (from April 1, 1946, to March 31, 1947) to pro vide three short courses of three to four months for three groups of at least 40 cadet patrol officers who will be selected from applicants who apply under the Department of External Territories’ ad vertisement published in Australia on January 10.

In future, applicants selected by the Department of External Territories for cadet patrol officers will be required to attend the school, and secure a satisfac tory pass before being appointed to the permanent staff.

Army men who nassed out successfully from the ANGAU school in 1945-46 will be considered for appointment as patrol officers if they desire.

Suitable administrative and academic staff are to be appointed to the school on a temporary basis and provision will be made for a library and other inciden tal expenditure.