"WE SHOULD PREPARE"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 8

"WE SHOULD PREPARE"

Need of Training for Future

(Rv T0^0-*'?) r1''

, . ' MASTEBTON, Last Night. • Observing that the situation in the world to-day was very serious, Major J. IL Irving, chairman of the Wairarapa Beturned Soldiers' Association, speaking at the annual meeting, added; "I hope our sons will be trained in the us® of weapons that will kill the most, if necessary.-' ' 'No one knotvs 'the position better than we returned meh,' ' Mr. Irving conetinued. "We should be prepared. We are the best judges and I think that the Beturned Soldiers' Association should guido public opinion in matters of defence. If war does break out and our sons have to go I hope they will be better trained than we were. We had received no specialised training and the next war will be won by the specialists. Our boys have got to be trained to 00 specialists and when Mr. G. G. Hancox, stated to be the new principal of Wairarapa College, takes charge — and I do not wish to disparage anything that has been done at the High School in the past — I hope they will reeeive that special training and will be trained in ■the use of weapons that will kill most, jif necessary." "A lot of tripe is published in the jPress," continued Mr. Irving. "I want jto impress on you men that the volunjteers are not a washout. Our commanding officers, general staff and the men Ithemselves are as fine a body as can be found anywhere in the world. I only regret we have not more men with war experience among them. Many are not fully aware of the fact that we have the nucleus of a fully trained unit ready to go overseas at a moment's notice The Government has been very generous in the matter of equipment and in Masterton we have three machine guns. " Eeferring to Mr. Hancox, Mr. Irving said that if he came to Masterton tho town would acquire a very valuable citizen. He had known Mr. Hancox for the past twenty years. He trained with him before the War and again met him at the Somme in 1016 when Mr. Hancox jir as very seriously wounded. He spent years in hospital and on his xeturn to New Zealand he had continued his training with the Territorials. At present he was second in command, and would shortly be Officer Commanding the West Coast Regiment. He was a very likeable man, easily approached and was an excellent disciplinarian. They all knew about army discipline — there was a time when they did not lilte it very much — but they also knew that their sons could do with some oi that discipline at times.