HOME GUARD OFFICERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 42, 26 January 1943, Page 5

HOME GUARD OFFICERS

ONLY THE BEST WANTED NO QUESTION OF RACE GENERAL BELL'S" ASSURANCE "J don't care whether an officer is Maori or Pakeha, if he's fit and capable; of leading mien, he shall gain his appointment," said Major General Belli, in reply to the requisition from the Ruatoki Maoris last Sunday that Maori officers should be selected and appointed from eligible and qualified Maori candidates. "I'll go further than that," he said, if a Maori officer is' more suitred to lead than a Plakeha officer then I would not hesitate to put hiim in charge of a Pakeha Battalion. But he must have the goods." General Bell wlm proved himself something of an orator, appealed immensely to the assembled: Mtoris and spoke to them, in the face l of some previous criticism of the army, as man to man. It cannot be denied that his visit loft a very favourable impression upon the natives of these parts. Own Education He informed his hearers that he was present lor his own education and to release the importance of the questions which had been raised. He reminded them that he was but. a soldier and to carry out the Government's policy whether he was in agreement with it or not. He could. assure his hearers, however that the suggestion of conserving petrol and tyres in respect to the calling of the parade, had. never entered into the question-

He realised something of the difficulties' which confronted the Maori race at the. present time, and coukl assure them of his, sympathetic attention. The army desired to work in with them he could, point to the establishment of two schools of instruction at Matata and Walpapaltauri which would assist, in the training of young Maori officers for the Home Guard. In certain districts where there was only a small percentage' of Maoris, it became necessary for them to link up with the Pakeha Home Guard. This could not. be avoided. If however in this group a Maori held the necessary qualifications there was no reason why lie should not be made the Commander. AIJ that was; required, was: that he had a sympathetic understanding of the problems: of both races. He. hoped this would dispel -any feeling of favouritism as far as ithc Pakeha officers were concerned. lit was a very important thing to bring about tliis understanding not merely for the duration of the war but well beyond it leading into the future' of the two races and the prosperity of the country. Therefore these problems required all the understanding possible and that was the reason for getting together as they were that day.