HOME GUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 August 1940, Page 3

HOME GUARD

TRAINING IN LOCAL AREAS ADDRESS BY MR SEMPLE. PLENTY OF FIT OVER-AGE MEN'. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. “The Home Guard will provide the opportunity for men to train and drill in their own communities.” said the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, in an address last night. He explained that units each of approximately 30 men could be formed in any little centre where the local body committee liked to arrange it, and they could meet, say once a week to drill and practise. Four of the units would make up a company, and four companies a group. ‘•From what I have seen everywhere and from letters that pour in to me. the people of this country are burning to do something on the home front.” said Mr Semple. “While our lads on the other side of the world are ready to jump into the job, our men here at home are just as keen. But a big scheme like this needs a lot of planning, and the Government has been keen on fixing up a plan that will give 100 per cent satisfaction to our people in their urge to do something. “As the war has gone on we have been working to develop an ’all-in’ plan that will give each and all a definite job. and. which is better still, will give some active practice in it. It’s not a bit of use a chap having a registration card telling him he has to report somewhere or other when ordered —he wants an outlet for his feelings and his energy now. He wants practice with his mates, so that when the call comes he will know exactly what to do and who he is going to do the job with. “The local bodies will play a great part in the scheme, acting somewhat as the territorial associations do in the Old Country,, but the actual drilling and practising of the guard will be in the hands of their own leaders. Here is where the Returned Soldiers’ Associations throughout the country will pull their weight. “We will issue the home guard with an armlet to wear on duty, and units may arrahge to provide themselves with clothes or suits of one type for special occasions, as the returned soldies did when they visited Australia two years ago.

“The home guard is not for men who are doing anything active in the military forces,” said the Minister. "It is to make the best use of the huge number of men in the country, particularly in the rural areas, over 46 years of age. There are fit men frothing to do some hard, useful work without thought of payment or reward. All they want is the satisfaction of making themselves ready to defend their country in its time of need.”