Bay Of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, 21st. AUGUST, 1940. MOVEMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 202, 21 August 1940, Page 4

Bay Of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, 21st. AUGUST, 1940. MOVEMENT

THE move by the Whakatane County Council to form a local force of eight hundred volunteers for Home Defence, will be applauded by all who have followed the progress of the war to date. Many in this town have been agitating for months past for the introduction of just such a scheme, and the keen spirit of anticipation shown by the County authorities will be welcomed on all sides. Home defence has become a vital matter now that the Motherland is fully

occupied in attending to her own urgent needs in the face of a ruthless and powerful adversary. The fate of British Somaliland should serve to hasten the belated measures now being launched by the Government, and Whakatane's co-operation in the matter of enrolling recruits should indicate the keeness of local bodies to become actively associated in the matter of the formation and control of local units throughout the Dominion. That the wojk should be entrusted primarily to the rural authorities is definitely the wisest process, insomuch as the counties embrace the country centres, which are the natural rallying points. The defence forces can then contain mounted and infantry units which could be welded linto a unified fighting machine training and practising together- for the maximum benefit over areas which will be known personally to every member. Objections have, already been raised quoting the impotence of the farmers to give any real service during the dairying season/ These however cannot be entertained in. view of the circumstances which demand immediate and wholehearted, action on the part of all New Zealanders. No farmer will object to a half day's training a week, the time for which will probably be fixed so as not to clash with milking periods. Another alternative is the formation of "commandos" a loose system born of the Boer tactics in the South African war. In view of the far-reaching nature of the hew regime however,' and the fact that it lis claimed, a post will be found for every able:-bodied man, the "commando" idea may be dismissed as secondary. Systemised training throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand is preferable to the formation of occasional mounted units in country districts. Already the Whakatane County scheme is well in hand and there appears no reason to. doubt but that the desired quota wiilfbe speedily forthcoming as soon as the enlistment forms are circulated. The further three hundred "other ranks" will, include the auxilliary units necessary for service and supply, and should be speedily brought up to strength. Further meetings of local body representatives in the Eastern and Southern Bay of Plenty will take place this week, and the outcome will be eagerly awaited by those who practically since the war began,, have been chaffing to do something towards the service or defence, of this country.