ROUND ABOUT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 7, 2 September 1940, Page 5

ROUND ABOUT

* And now we find that there is little room left for any observations on the Ohope swimming pool.That, perhaps, is just as well after the miniature novel which appeared on Friday. One point we have to comment on is the suggestion of a Domain Board within the County Council in an endeavour to evade responsibility in the event of accident. It did not occur to he who proposed this that there should be compensation for accidcnts to children. That, howevr, should be a comparatively simple and inexpensive cover to provide.

(ISy Aitchel) The visit of the Hon. D. Wilson,. associate-Minister of National Service, did nothing to.' inspire assiir-. ance as far as the majority of those present were concerned, when, he ad dressed a meeting of Whakatane and Opotiki local body representatives last Saturday night. His address can be summed'up 111 his own expression: "I. don't know very much about the Emergency Precautions Scheme; but I have the Home Guard scheme at my finger-* tips." That was strictly correct—he was holding the already published clauses in his hand, • * * • Then we come to a-point , which has caused many to wonder, if, as tjf.ie Minister said!, arms and ammunition we're available for every member of the Home Guard, why not' distribute them now? Mr Wilson's argument that it -is necessary tfr build up reserves is so much eyewash. If the supply is sufficient for the Home Guard (and we -presume that means after all other military requirements have been met), what is the use of the reserves? AVJI6 will be armed after 'provision- has been made for the Home Guard? The Boy Scouts and Girl® Guides? What is the use in having large reserves of rifles, machine guns and the necessary ammunition when it may have to be distributed at what welF be only a few hours notice? Then in the matter of uniforms. It is not proposed to issue uni-t forms. Instead,' an armlet will be worn by members of the Home Guard when 011 duty. The idea, of course, as expressed by the Minister on Saturday night, was that in the event of a hostile landing (and it must be remembered that it is to guard against this contingency that the organisation is supposedly form ed) a member of the Home Guard without some distinguishing badge could possibly be taken for a Filth Columnist and ?hot before his pro-* testations availed. The position of those civilians not in the 'Physical Drill Squads' may prove to be rather embarrassing. Has it been considered that it would be easier for a potential enemyn to copy or wholly take armlets than uniforms? But, of course, we are forgetting that uniforms, as with arms, would be supplied to the men in the event of emergency and the immediate incorporation of the Home Guards in the military forces. , m ■ For the sake of argument we will : imagine that an enemy force' has effected a landing at Ohope and thaf! four hours notice is at the convenience of the authorities. There could be more, naturally, and there could be less. The news reaches Wellington and the Governor-General issues- a proclamation which automatically makes soldiers of the Home Guards, who,-in the training period,, have been well equipped with muscles they never knew they had before they took the Government's physical culture course. In addition they possess abundant signalling knowledge and, have had. quite a lot of practise in route marching and form ing threes. , The authorities, at this stage, say: "Well, you chaps,- the,time has come. Proqeed to Rotoruai (or Hamilton, or Paeroa) and try on some of the uniforms we have been holding in reserve for a while. There's a guaranteed fit for every man but it will be necessary to sign for the suit and you will he held responsible for its care. You are to queue up when you get there and as you file past the Arms Depot you will each receive a rifle and ammuni-

tion. Because of extreme urgency in this matter you are cxpccted to sign for the latter without counting the number of rounds. Pay-« merit- must be made for any shortage. There -must be no ; pushing int the queues." In the meanwhile, the enemy has not spent his time admiring the undoubted attractions of Oh ope. By then he will be in Whalcatane —presenting the County Council with the sum total of the whipround he had for Mr Mahy's learu-. to-swim pool. • In a cold light, it looks very I much as though the Home Gua,rds business is merely a sop far those people desiring to da something active in the war effort. The scheme could hardly be termed definite and constructive and appears to be only tho ptacation of an insistent demand, .