The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12th, 1939 TRAINING FOR DEFENCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 35, 12 July 1939, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12th, 1939 TRAINING FOR DEFENCE

THE Government's sustained campaign for territorial recruits began last week with earnest appeals from Mr. Savage, from the Minster for Defence, Mr. F. Jones and from Mr J A Lee. These three statements set out New Zealand s position in the fast-changing world of to-day, emphasise the Dominion s responsibility to itself for its own secuivty, and indicate how this security can be built up. And together the statements are an appeal to New Zealand's conscience, an attempt to rid the country of the lathargy and ilndifference that have in the past made the land forces the Cinderella section of the Dominion's defence system. For months the position of the land forces has been a burning political topiq, with the true issues confused and distorted by political prejudice and distrust. That unhappy period is now over and although opinions will differ as to the merits of the voluntary and compulsory methods of training there will be no longer any doubt of the earnestness of the Government's intentions, of its realisation that an undefended New Zealand is in gra.ve danger and of its determination to improve ...the Dominion's defences up to,the fullest possible limit of the voluntary system. Even if the local quotas are. filled additional recruits will be accepted for training. What is needed now is for employers of young men to urge their signing: up. Many yqur)g fellows, only, need to be personally reminded of the fact that it is a plain duty to train for defence of their homes and therlr jobs, The more trained men there a.re behind the British demands for peace, the more likely is that peace to eventuate. Whakaltane could muster a company' or more, and if the young men of the present generation lived up to the traditions of the older jgenerations/ in the town, there would be no holding back. The time seems to have arrived, however, when a more direct andjpersonal appeal will have to be made, and i'f this is •done, no one" doubts that Whakatane will do its part, as it has done so splendidly in the past.