ONE RESULT OF THE BREAK-UP OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN FEDERATION IN NORTHERN RHODESIA - EUROPEAN MEMBERS OF THE TERRITORIAL ARMY ARE TO BE ALLOWED TO RESIGN, AND AFRICANS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO SIGN ON AS REPLACEMENTS. REPORTS INDICATE THAT ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY, WHEN IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE IN MAY.

IN NDOLA, THERE WERE ORIGINALLY ABOUT 60 AFRICAN APPLICANT FOR 'A' COMPANY. 3RD (NORTHERN RHODESIA) BATTALION, ROYAL RHODESIAN REGIMENT - FORMALLY AN EXCLUSIVELY EUROPEAN UNIT. AFTER INITIAL INTERVIEW, 24 WERE INSTRUCTED TO REPORT TO THE NDOLA TERRITORIAL TRAINING CENTRE. IN FACT 24 TURNED UP; TWO WERE ACCEPTED FOR TRAINING. THIS IS THOUGHT TO BE FAIR AVERAGE FOR RECRUITING CENTRES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

WHEN THE FEDERATION'S DEFENCE FORCES WERE DIVIDED UP LAST YEAR, NORTHERN RHODESIA WAS EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN TWO REGULAR BATTALIONS - THE NORTHERN RHODESIAN REGIMENT AN THE 1ST BATTALION, KING'S AFRICAN RIFLES - IN ADDITION TO MULTI-RACIAL TERRITORIAL UNITS.