DOMINION DEFENCE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 179, 16 August 1937, Page 9

DOMINION DEFENCE

Onr. Own rorrespondent.l

Territorial Association's WORK VALUE OF V0LUNTEERS

(From

AUCKLAND, This Dny. Waiting expectantly for tle release of tle -Government Js announeenient of it? defence policy, tle Kew Zealand Territorial Association, whi"l was founded wlen compulsory training was abolisled about six years ago, is prepared for an early extension of its activities to meel.tle new conditions. Witl its headquarters in Auckland, tho association, altlougl in name a Dominion body, so ^ar las not^exfcnded beyond tio Auckland Provincc. In tle opinion of tle association's lcaders, who ' inclxide , pr'ominent citizens, the success of the new defence training system will Tio in proportion to its popularity, that- is, in proportion' to the attractions offered to youths and youdg men to join the ranks'. Public interest, too, isj important, and the association considers it essential that- more should be done to bring the territorial movement before tho public. Wlen tlie- • association was founded, in September, 1931, interest in defence was waning. Tle Government wus beginning to apply tle pruning knife of eeonomy, cadet training had been abolisled exccpt at tle secondary scbools, and the average youth was moro concerned about securing a job tlian about military training. Eecruiting was at a low ebb. To combat tle tendency towards public apathy at tle time was tio association's chief aim. It souglt to rnake tle drills and ' camps more attractjve by catering for the social nide and by providing various comforts and " enjoyments •whicl- the traineea could not obtain for tlemselvos. At first tle struggle was_ difficult. "Lack of funds was a handicap, and tlie public bad n'Ot yet become accustomed to tbe idea tlat tlere was a useful and necessary work for tle association to do. * Tlen - was; made tle eifort wliel.Tesulted in the raising of £500 by an art union four jears' pgo. By wise 'expenditure the association las since been able to' equip ' and _ f urnisl a clubroom, an office, billiards and recreational . room, , and otler accommodation. - - v To-day, after nearly six years, tle association's quarters occupy tbe wlole' of tle top floor at tle end of tio drill lall, a total lengtl of neafly 200ft., and 'the activity. in its roora's wlen drill is over eacl- evening is evidence of tle value of 'its work. — ^ "We lave been able to maintain the interest of ihe youths," said tle organising gecrp'tajy1 l fh'e,- : asSpcni-' tion^ Mr. H. J. Gilimore. * \j • ••'•' ' " Do you- prefer tho - voiunteer Eys-. tem?'.' le was. asked. , ' • "Yes, I have aby&ys been a keen gdvocate of ' vSluriteer mTOvements," le replied. ,fI maintain tl&t one voiunteer is wortl 13 pressed men." Mr, Gilimore .tlen expresshd --tlie hope that the Govermpent/s ncw system would .-aim at increasing the attractions of the training. His 'organisation could assist towards • that ciid * and would be retady to • set *np ^ new branclies as opportunity offered. ' He mentioned that bianches wero already, active in several { towns, and that at Eotorua the camp' peri'od was • a parr ticuiarly busy one for the association. "It's 14 hours a day for me," seven days-a week, but I like it," said Mr. Gilimore, adding:, "I 'like anything to do witl soldiery.i' '• * - ' ' * • , * %