E.P.S. AND HOME GUARD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 22, 27 February 1942, Page 4

E.P.S. AND HOME GUARD

STATEMENTS appearing in other papers bear out the allegation that the Emergency Precautions Scheme is being needlessly- built up to the detriment of the citizens righting force—the Home Guard. While it is not permissible to give the exact comparative strength of the local organisations, it is nevertheless a ridiculous thing to read of the "E.P.Sin other centres outnumbering the Heme Guard by ten. to one. Why the State cannot take the initiative by alocating, according to age and physical fitness, men for either service instead of making it voluntary is beyond reasoning. We understand that the same preponderance of figures is likely to obtain, in Whakatane, where a number of ablebodied men, who might easily become members of the defence force prefer to become E.P.S- members, thus weakening the fighting strength of the local units, to which every man is precious in these dangerous times. It is again ludicrous to reflect that whereas the Government has made it compulsory to join the E.P.S., the Home Guard has never been other than a voluntary organisation. We ask, why should it not be made compulsory for all ablebodied, men under a certain, age to be transferred from the E.P.S. to the Guard, and thereby assist towards creating a garrison army of the maximum fighting strength.