THE HOME GUARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 224, 20 September 1940, Page 3

THE HOME GUARD.

NOT A FASCIST BODY. REASONS FOR CREATION. WELLINGTON, Thursday. Discussing the formation of the Home Guard, the Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, said the only reason it was created was to protect the lives, property and liberty of our people. It had been said the Government was creating a Fascist organisation. That was a ueliberate misrepresentation.

An organised nation could discover where traitors were and put them out of action, said the Minister. A disorganised country was fertile ground for a traitor, a term he preferred to "Fifth Columnist." Every country in the world to-day had a percentage of traitors and New Zealand was no exception. The Home Guard would serve to bring New Zealand people closer together, so that they would understand they have a common, destiny.

Even if there was no need to use the Home Guard in defence of the country, we would be a better nation for having rubbed shoulders together and created a better understanding of one another, true tolerance and comradeship.

Referring to the vanquished countries, Mr. Semple said every vestige of liberty in them had been wiped out, and if the British Empire fell we would have to face the same fate. "But the British Empire will never fall. There will always he an England," he concluded. — (Press Assn.)