CHEAPEST ARMY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3278, 21 June 1943, Page 4

CHEAPEST ARMY

PLEA FOR HOME GUARD TYRES AND EQUIPMENT SPEECH BY MR SUTHERLAND A plea for more help for the Home Guard, especially in providing full equipment and making tyres available to those who have to travel distances to parades was made by Mr A. S. Sutherland, M.P. for Hauraki, when speaking in the House of Representatives last week. Mr Sutherland said:— “Let me say a word or two about the Home Guard movement. As the Minister of Finance has warned us that we must not relax in our war effort, I presume that it is understood that the Home Guard is still an essential factor in that effort. “It seems to me that the Minister might have mentioned in his Budget the wonderful work which the Home Guard, 100,000 strong, has done. Its members are not paid for their services. An Hon. Member.—They pay to serve. Mr Sutherland. —Yes, they pay to serve. I maintain too, that the Home Guard would have been a grave problem for any enemy trying to invade these shores. Still Necessary “I noticed that an Army representative in one of the northern centres last week informed the Appeal Board that all men on leave from the Army without pay w r ere required to join up with the Home Guard. That being so, it appears that the Government must consider that the services of the Home Guard are still necessary. Therefore I would put in a plea for better treatment of its members. “I suggest that the Home Guard is the cheapest trained army in the world, and I can speak on this subject with some confidence, because I had a good deal to do with the early recruiting work in my district, and I still parade with my company. “I would also suggest that the Home Guard movement had a good effect on the morale of the women and children when we were threatened with invasion. Now that the chances of invasion are more remote, I think the Minister should make some statement about the position. The movement should be given more help, or the hours should be cut down considerably.

Lack of Equipment “Many mistakes have been made in the handling of the movement, and many excuses have been made for the long delay in equipping the men—nobody seemed to want to take the blame for that. I recently had a talk with a company commander in my district and, even at this late stage, he has 165 men under him, but only 65 rifles. This is a sorry state of affairs. “Then there was the serious mistake of exempting the miners from Home Guard duty. Mr Speaker.—May I ask the hon. gentleman whether he proposes to say anything which should not go over the air? Mr A. S. Sutherland.—No, I do not think so,, sir. I will not mention any figures. The exemption of the miners from Home Guard duty had a bad effect on the movement. Every other section of the community had to turn out and do their duty, and if they did not, they were heavily fined for non-attendance. That s was a serious weakness shown by the Government. Question of Tyres “Later on when members of . the Government take to the hustings, they will have some pretty hard questions to answer in the rural areas about that movement. No section of the commjmity should be given exemption from Home <Guard duties. “Then there is the matter of tyres. Many Home Guardsmen have travelled thousands of miles, using their own cars, and now when they find their tyres worn out, they cannot get them replaced. I was astounded when I heard the Minister of Supply (I am sorry he is not in his seat) make his explanation last year about the trade union secretary who got four new tyres. “I know of company commanders in the Home-' Guard movement who cannot get a tyre retreaded, let alone a new one. The same applies to battalion commanders, apart altogether from the ordinary private —he has got no-show. Not On Essential List “If a trade union secretary can get four new tyres without applying to the tyre committee, I think it is time the matter was taken up to see that these Home ■Guardsmen, who have run their cars for thousands of miles round the country, are at least allowed to have re-treads. Something will

have to be done, and done quickly. “The hon. member for Roskill mentioned in this House last year, when I was discussing the Home Guard movement, that he could get tyres for Some Guardsmen in his district. I tried every avenue. I waa told that Home Guardsme* were *ot oat the essentia] list, and they could net «et tyros.*