Legion Approves Conscription: Seeks Defence Status

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 96, 8 June 1949, Page 5

Legion Approves Conscription: Seeks Defence Status

Saturday’s Legion of Frontiersmen Conference decided to renew representations to the Government for recognition as part of the Dominion’s defence forces, though not too hopefully, and the opinion was freely expressed that the Legion should hack the campaign for compulsory military service to the limit, though no formal resolution was passed. Col. White, Rotorua, pointed out that the Legion had no official recognition from the Government as a defence unit. Time might come, he said, when we could be dominated by a Red Asia. The same elements that were working there were Imdoubtedly working here, and in the event of war fanatics might commit acts of sabotage. Vital points in this country were wide open to activity of that sort, and the guarding against it was a job the Legion could do. If it had such an objective its strength would increase.

He moved, therefore, that the Government he urgently requested to give the Legion official recognition as a part of the defence forces, to be used in any emergency as the Government might direct, particularly in guarding vital points and important national structures at any time the Government deems necessary and especially in the event of war. Conscription Approved

The motion led to a number, of expressions of opinion in favour of a stronger defence system, based on compulsory military service, to •which principle the speakers subscribed.

The Commandant, Col. J. C. Findlater, urged members to back the R.S.A. to the limit in its campaign for conscription, though he said he did not think they would get far in asking the Government for recognition. It had been tried unsuccessfully for 20 years. The Commissioner, Lt. Col. J. C. N. Hyde, supported the Commandant’s view that active campaigning would be needed to get the referendum on conscription carried. He referred to a recent article in a Labour Party publication which said the Legion suggested the forming of a national guard, and added that the Legion considered conscription in peacetime would -be “unwelcome.”

“It is our duty to see it ..is welcome,” he said in branding the article as “incorrect, and misleading”. No unit had had authority to make such a statement, which had already been used to suggest the Legion opposed peacetime conscription.