HOME GUARD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 124, 28 May 1942, Page 5

HOME GUARD

DEFENCE SURVEY

COMPULSORY FEATURES (0.C.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Defcnce Committee of the National War Council lias undertaken. at the Government's request, a complete survey of the Hcnii Guard organisation vi'h the object of making recommcnd-it ion. on a number of questions which have been raised, particularly rora: dais: increased capitation a~:.'wancc. an 1 other methods of assistance to an organisation now becoming a valuable factor in home defence. Inquiry of the Minister of Defcnce. .Mr. ,h-nes. to-day elicited the fact that iv understands that the investigation ha- been completed, and that th.e Government may expect the report at an eariv date. Meanwhile, the jirocess of allocating to the Homo Guard Ihe m?n who were recently required to register :s tion will soon reach adeouate strength. Incidentally, this "will involve a considerable reorrranisation of tli? Emergency Precautions Service, which will" !n.-e many thousands of its trained personnel to th.e Home Guard. Enroirrer.t and training f<.,r the Home Guard has been made compulsory. and can be enforced under the provision* of tne Defence Emergency Regulations l>v moan-; of proceedings in the civil courts. ' The organisation includes two divisions. Division 1 comprises men over the , atze of IS who are phvsically fi' for ; combatant duty and are serving in ; tmi-.> \\hich have bec*n allotted uperai tional roles m defence r>lans. The 1 ma imam training for this section is j to be 24 hours per month.

Division 2. for which the minimum monthly training is eight hours, comprises all other members of the Home Guard. including Youths between 16 and 17 not required for duty in Division 1. The duties of this section of the Home Guard consist of guarding railway bridges and tunnels. road bridges, electric installations, petrol stations, internment f nc J_ Prisoner of war camDs, also traffic control.