HOME DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 118, 22 May 1939, Page 10

HOME DEFENCE

APPEAL FOR MEN

MR.SAVAGE TO BROADCAST

GOVERNMENT POLICY

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) will tonight issue a broadcast appeal for the defence of New Zealand. It is understood that he will give his own personal views on the international situation, and will set out the main lines of the Government's policy, stating what has been done and what is to be done in the

future.

Mr. Savage stated in an interview today that he wished to put before the people of New Zealand the facts of the situation as the Government saw them. In particular, he wished to tell the people why he was making this appeal at this time.

"The first appeal I wish to make is for volunteers to fill the gaps in the regular forces," said Mr. Savage. "The second is for our first line of land defence—the Territorial Army. There is also need for men in the special reserve, and finally there is the general appeal for able-bodied men between 20 and 55 years of age to register in the National Military Reserve. In this connection, I hope that the Defence League will get behind the Government. "There is in this country a large reserve of man-power covering returned j soldiers and numbers who have passed I through the Territorial Force, as well as the younger men. I intend to emphasise thai men coming forward and offering their services are enlisting for home defence, and home defence only. I also intend to explain how the services of these men will be used.'' The broadcast is to commence at 7 o'clock and will be from the four YA stations. During the 46 days or so the King I and Queen are out of England on their Canadian tour they will alter their watches 16 times owing to variations iin time.