|
|
Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
|
|
|
|
GORE -- Allegations of
physical and sexual abuse at the New Zealand Army's Waiouru cadet school in
the 1960s to 1980s had not produced any backlash from the public for army
personnel on a recruitment roadshow in Southland this week, Staff Sergeant
Bobby Proctor said yesterday. "It (the
allegations) has given us a bit of a profile but the wrong one." Staff
Sergeant Proctor agreed the coinciding of the allegations surfacing with the
recruitment drive could make it a bit hard to attract recruits. However, the incidents
at the centre of the complaints happened a long time ago and people could
judge for themselves, he said. It has been relatively
quiet at the 4th Otago Southland Battalion Group's roadshow base at the Gore
RSA, although Staff Sergeant Proctor hoped to get enough interest to reform a
territorial unit in Gore. The 4th Otago and
Southland Battalion Group is a Territorial unit providing training for
part-time soldiers of all ranks south of the Waitaki River, including
infantry soldiers, medics, signallers, drivers and other logistics staff. Regimental
Sergeant-Major Warrant Officer Paul Galloway said Southland soldiers could
train in a range of crafts from infantry riflemen to military drivers. The unit was also
looking for people to train as officers and leaders of the unit. Southland has a proud
military history, being well represented by Territorial soldiers during
peacekeeping deployments from East Timor to the Sinai Desert. The recruiting bus
heads south today stopping at towns along the way. Tomorrow in
Invercargill the roadshow will visit the SIT campus before setting up at the
Invercargill Army hall for two days. -------------------- CAPTION: New Zealand Territorial
soldier Private Catherine Burke, of Dunedin, shows some of the static
displays being taken around Southland this week for the army's recruitment
roadshow. Picture:SONIA GERKEN |
