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The following have been appointed to command units : — Mounted Rifles: — Lieut.-Colonel C. R. Spragg, V.D. (Waikato Mounted Rifles). Artillery:— Major V. P. Haughton (Central Coast Artillery Group). Lieut.-Colonel J. G. Jeffrey, M.C. (Southern Artillery Group). Engineers : — Lieut.-Colonel N. Annabell, M.C., Y.D. (Commanding Corps of Engineers). Infantry :■ — Colonel W. H. Cunningham, D.5.0., Y.D. (2nd Infantry Brigade). Major A. S. Falconer, D.5.0., M.C. (S.C.), (Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment). Lieut.-Colonel J. L. Saunders, D.5.0., V.D. (Ist Battalion, Wellington Regiment). Major F. Prideaux (Ist Battalion, Hauraki Regiment). Major G. G. Hancox (3rd Cadet Battalion, Wellington West Coast Regiment). Lieut.-Colonel R. F. Gambrill (Ist Battalion, Hawke's Bay Regiment). . Army Service Corps : — Major J. McC. Power (Commanding N.Z. Army Service Corps). The period of command of the following has been extended for one year :— Infantry — Lieut.-Colonel L. H. Jardine, D.5.0., M.C. (Ist Battalion, Taranaki Regiment). During the training-year just concluded there have been many changes in the personnel of the Commanding Officers of the various units of the Territorial Force. The regulation period of four years' service in command brings about the inevitable loss by removal of certain individual officers who might well be retained, but it is important not to cause stagnation in the promotion of junior officers, and therefore the policy of transferring officers to the Reserve or Retired List after completion of four years in command is strictly adhered to. It is obvious that the removal of distinguished and efficient officers, many of whom have had active-service experience, will mean a great loss to the Territorial Force, but many of them are still young enough to return to the Active List should the need arise. I wish to thank all those Commanding Officers who have completed their period of command during the year for the support they have given me, and for the energy and enthusiasm they have put into their work ; and J also wish to welcome those who will fill the vacancies in the coming year, and who thus assume the responsibilities of those who so worthily preceded them. Responsibilities gravitate to those who are able to bear them, so that I feel sure that those officers who now have been selected for and have accepted the responsibilities of command will not fail to creditably carry out the onerous duties entailed. It is an axiom that the personality of the Commanding Officer is reflected in the bearing and general efficiency of all under his command, and from my own experience I know this to be very true, and I therefore give the greatest care to the selection of Commanding Officers, and I am very pleased to report that I am well satisfied with the standard of Commanding Officers in the Forces. (b) Regimental Colours and Guidons. During the year Mounted Rifles Regiments which heretofore were not permitted to carry guidons have, as a result of authority granted by His Majesty the King, been arranging to procure them. Several Infantry Regiments have also secured new colours in substitution for their old ones. No special grant is made for the purchase of colours or guidons, but a limited amount out of regimental funds may be used for the purpose, but up to the present they have almost entirely been provided through the generosity of people of the town or district. The following units were recently presented with new colours (or guidons): Queen Alexandra's Wellington West Coast Mounted Rifles; Ist Battalion, the Auckland Regiment (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) ; Ist Battalion, the Wellington Regiment; Ist Battalion, the Hawke's Bay Regiment. The ceremony of presentation in these cases was witnessed by large gatherings of the public, who showed in no unmistakable manner their interest in the Territorial Force, and appreciation of the precision with which the intricate evolutions in connection with the ceremony were carried out. (c) Recruiting. In last year's report reference was made to the method to be adopted in order to eliminate the surplus recruits of Territorial Force age who could not be absorbed into the Territorial Force on account of the decision to keep the strength of units within the establishment. All Territorials and Cadets who became eligible by age for posting to the Territorial Force in June, 1928, were graded into categories according to their physical development, and selection of the numbers required to bring units up to establishment, but not beyond it, was made from those of the highest physical standard. This necessarily residted in a larger proportion of rejections than usual, and certain newspapers and sections of the public erroneously concluded that the abnormal number of rejections was an indication that the physique of our youths was falling off and that the training in the Cadets was not having the beneficial effect that was claimed for it by the supporters of compulsory military training. It is therefore desired to emphasize the fact that the classification according to age, weight, height, and chest-measurement, and the selection of the best physically developed youths, was an innovation, and was prompted by the necessity of reducing by the most economical and fairest method the number for training in the Territorial Force. It may be suggested that those who were not up to the physical