The Bag of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Wednesday, August 28th, 1940. THE HOWIE GUARD.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 205, 28 August 1940, Page 4

The Bag of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Wednesday, August 28th, 1940. THE HOWIE GUARD.

THE recent visit of the associates-Minister co-operating with the Hon. R. Semple in the movement for National Service, has not served to awaken any further enthusiasm than hitherto in Whakatane. What the Hon. D. Wilson had to say to the representative meeting' was nothing new to the majority of local body men present and an this respect there was an undeniable sense of disappointment, that the scheme of which so much has been broadcast, spoken and written did not provide something tangible and effective which would release immediately the machinery for the military training and equipment of thousands of willing vol unteers who were only awaiting the signal. Either this district was well in advance of others by way of making its own local arrangements against emergency conditions, or else we had been led to expect too much from the previous ministerial visit. The fact remains that unless more direct action is taken by the authorities there will be little to quicken the enthusiasm of those who for two months past have entered their names on the lodal register as being fit and willing to serve. The home volunteers are serious m their desire and absolutely genuine in their efforts to form something in the nature of. a garrison army which could deal with a possible invader to these shores. Physical training and the prospect of subsequent occasional camps do not appeal to men who have seen action and whose one desire now is to get down to the real thing and waste no time in the process. The qomparison with 1914, when the National Reserve was formed almost without hesitation, becomes somewhat ludicrous when we observe our present state of non-preparedness ;in the face of dangers a hundred ' times more imminent. Twenty five years ago men of the C.3 type and those with heavy family responsibilities were armed and trained in all the main centres, yet today after twelve months of the struggle which promises to be worl engulfing and the course of which no one can forsee from day to day, we are told of a sqheme to create a garrison of men the main occupation of which appears to be rudimen - ary drill and physical training. If we are mistaken in our conjectures or in the interpretation of the application o the Home Guard scheme then we sincerely hope that it will be necessary to tender an apology to the instigators. But what we cannot understand is the vagueness and the seeming uncertainty in the Governments scheme of anything relative to the actual training and arming of men who will be expected to meet the first shock of a possible mvasion- Why!