MINISTER'S APPEAL

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20822, 5 June 1939, Page 2

MINISTER'S APPEAL

A GOOD RESPONSE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES 200 ENROL FOR HOME DEFENCE ifiy Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday Responding unanimously to an appeal made by the Minister of Public Works, tlie Hon. R. Semple, to-day, 200 men at the Aniseed camp, on the South Island main trunk railway, pledged themselves to support the defence policy and offered to enrol for home defence. A oommittee was formed to conduct recruiting. Mr Semple urged the men not only to enlist themselves, but also to rally all other public works employees to the country's service. There was no compulsion about the defence system which the Government was undertaking, Mr Semple added, but every man was expected to volunteer for home service. He wanted to be able to say in three months' time that the men on public works were not only builders of tjie nation, but also that they were prepared to defend what they had built. The Minister said that in the event of war effective steps would be taken to prevent a repetition of the profiteering prevalent in the last war. FURTHER STEPS GOVERNMENT AND DEFENCE (By TeieCTann-— Press Association) DUNEDIN, Sunday The determination of the Government to put into effect the recommendations of the recent Pacific Defence Conference and of Major-Gen-eral P. J. Mackesy, who reported on New Zealand's land forces, as soon as possible was emphasised by the Miniter of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in an interview. He said the decision to raise the establishment of the land forces to 15,000 had already been made and within the next week or two further steps would be taken. ‘‘Following as it did on the Defence Conference, Major-General Mackesy’s report is particularly valuable,” said the Minister, 'and although I am not able to divulge the recommendations made they will be of great assistance to the Government in taking the right sJeps to make New Zealand as well defended as possible in the event of war.’’