TO DEFEND THE LAND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2325, 5 December 1914, Page 9

TO DEFEND THE LAND

NATIONAL itESERVE FORMED. At; a public meeting held in Bethune's. auction room yesterday afternoon, to consider the formation of a Wellington section of the National Reserve, there was, an attendance of about two dozen, over which Mr. H. E. M'Leod presided. . . ' Mr. ■M'Leah said ihat branches of the 'reserve had already been formed .in New Plymouth, ' Dunedin, Auckland, and .Christchurch, and a good number of men enrolled. ; The reserve should be prepared in the ovent of bombardment by enemy '; ships to assist in quenching fires and v -protecting life and property. The' Defence authorities, probably, would not be able, to give the- members of the reserve tho use of rifles, equipment; or. the Drill ;Hall, but whatever difficulty this fact presented could be got over. There wae laid on the table a letter in which Colonel Chaytor gave a general . outline suggesting a constitution, fpr.the branch. He suggested that , the branch should be, constituted , with the object'of increasing, the military resources of the Dominion as regards defence by enlisting the assistance of those who have served iti'-'any of the forces of . the Empire, and' of other citizens, in. sympathy with the'objects of the reserve. The duties, of members in a case of. emergency would be to join a combatant unit for service in the field, to carry out combatant duty in garrison*. or other* fixed positions, or to perform administrative work... ~.,,,.. On the.motion of Major pavie's',-V.D., it was resolved: "That this meeting of Wellington citizens is of opinion that a branch of the National Defence Reserve should be formed in 'this city; and that the names should be registered of those present -willing' to Join the branch."- , r ■Major Dayies was-elected provisional president, and Mr. Walter Leslie honorary secretary; .'■ .