HOME GUARD

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21215, 11 September 1940, Page 9

HOME GUARD

DOMINION’S DEFENCE MR SEMPLE EXPLAINS MEETING IN HAMILTON SAFEGUARD AGAINST INVASION “ Our enemies are discovering that they are facing a new-born England. True, the sacrifices will be great and the cruelties indescribable, but the people of England have their eyes set on the one goal, their hearts in tune, so that they will never be crushed.” In these words the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of National Service Security, described how the people of England were facing the increasing onslaughts of the Nazi air force, when he spoke at a special meeting in the Hamilton Borough Council Chambers last night to discuss the formation of a home guard in New Zealand. The Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, presided, and also present were representatives from the Hamilton Borough Council, Huntly Borough Council, Te Awamutu Borough Council, Cambridge Borough Council, Mercer, Kihikihi, Leamington, Te Kauwhata, Ngaruawahia, Kawhia, and Ohaupo Town Boards, and Waikato, Raglan, Waipa and Kawhia County Councils. Apologies were received from Mr C. A. Barrell, M.P. for Hamilton, and Mr W. R. Shattock. “We appreciate the fact that you have made it possible for this personal visit to Hamilton,” said the Mayor, in welcoming the Minister. They would also like to congratulate him on his appointment as Minister of National Service. They recognised his organising ability, his great vitality and the fact that he realised that the present war was a mechanical war. They were thus pleased and confident in the fact that he was in charge of the home guard movement. The Waikato district was 100 per cent behind him in the new war effort. Grim Realtities “We are here to discuss the defence system of this country,” said Mr Semple. “ The grim realities of war and all its destructive agencies are with us. We are convinced that we are not outside the danger zone. “ With the speeding up of communications the world has become a smaller place. Distance is nothing today and thus we have been brought near the danger zones although we are far from the world’s nerve centres. Thus it is necessary to discuss ways and means of defending this country in case of invasion. “J am convinced that invasion is possible, but I’m not going to say that it will take place. Some men will say that New Zealand cannot defend itself. To the man who says that we cannot defend this country I would say that he were better dead. “ I would prefer to die on the hillslopes of this fair country defending its women and children than to submit to a tyrant like Hitler. “ There are 300,000 men, outside those in the military group, who can render service in the defence of this country. Our task is to organise these 300,000 men. “ We are asking the local bodies to undertake this job. We are asking them because they are known to their districts, because they comprise responsible public men. We are asking them to undertake the enrolment of home guard members. Commander of Guard Mr Semple explained that the commander would be Major-General R. Young, C. 8., C.M.G., D. 5.0., yho would be assisted by district commanders whom he would appoint, probably with the advice of local bodies. “We want to build a Dominion defence system that will stand the test of time and which will be under national control,” continued the Minister. “We are trying to organise this country as it has never been organised before. There are many things I would like to talk to you about, but which I dare not, because at present we are in the throes of the most terrible war that this world has ever known.” The Minister pointed out that the geographical position of the Dominion lent itself admirably for defence. Invading forces, it had to be remembered, would be a long way from sources of supplies. “Hitler over-ran small countries, not because of better soldiers but simply because of better mechanism. He could never have reached Paris had it not been for his superior mechanical units. In short, Hitler has learned to use the inventive genius of his country for destruction. “ The object of this movement is to organise the man-power of the country from the North Cape to the Bluff,” continued the Minister. “There is no pay for anyone in this organisation. It is purely voluntary. The Home Guard will give everyone a chance to do his bit for the defence of his country. There will be no uniform, but there will probably be an armlet. It must be emphasised that production will not be allowed to be interrupted.” Age of Members The age range, said the Minister, would be from 16 years upwards with the exception of those in the military group. The young people would receive lessons in physical culture, while the older people would receive some drill and at times that would not interfere with production. Associated with the Home Guard would be the emergency precautions’ organisation. The Home Guard would be the fighting force, but the other organisation would be concerned with any possible damage. It had been created after the Napier and Murchison earthquakes. The organisation was a dead letter in some parts of the Dominion, but in other parts, he was glad to say, it was very much alive. This was fortunately the case in Hamilton, and Mr J. R. Baird was to be congratulated in regard to his association with local activity. “I am satisfied that we can make it pretty hot for any country who sends forces to these shores,” Mr Semple continued. “Fortunately for New Zealand we have forces here that can be made extremely

disastrous for any enemy. It can be made impossible for an alien force to travel even 10 miles on any of our highways. More Aerodromes “More aerodromes have been constructed in this Dominion than in any other country on a population basis. We have constructed 99 aerodromes and built 500 buildings on them. Some of the hangars are the largest in the world and earned the enthusiastic praise of the American innrnnlists who recently visited this country. 'iouay we have 100 New Zealand pilots in cockpits fighting the Huns. This would have been impossible if he had continued with the old methods, and we could not have sent one pilot to Britain when the S.O.S. came.” Mr Semple said that all his life he had been an implacable enemy of war and had been sneered at for his attitude. However, he made no apology for it because he realised that war was a fiendish thing and a product of the jungle. However, the politicans of Great Britain would come out of the struggle with clean hands because they had compromised to the point of humiliation. If New Zealand had not entered the war, she would have betrayed not only herself but also the Old Country. If Britain were beaten, New Zealand would be beaten. “I sometimes wonder why it is that Hitler, this monster of iniquity, can be allowed to plunge Europe into a blood bath and why he can spread his satanic crimes to the four corners of the globe. Mussolini is the most cowardly creature the world has ever seen, a fearsome vulture, but his turn will come.” No Party Politics “There must be no party politics in this ' home guard,” said the Minister in conclusion. “There must be no class distinctions for it doesn’t matter if a man is a chimney sweep or a peer as long as a true heart beats under his coat. Any man who brings in moth-eaten politics will be thrown out on his head. “Don’t run away with the idea that there are no fifth columnists here. We want you to help us to find out who they are so we can put them where they should be.” Mr R. Sinel, organiser of the home guard, explained various details of the movement. Small committees, he said, could be set up, consisting of representatives of different organisations. In each of the military areas there would be an area commander Enrolment forms had already been devised. Questions Answered The Minister answered several questions and later expressed his pleasure that the movement had already been commenced in the Waikato district. A vote of thanks to the Minister and Mr Sinel, moved by Mr C. Lafferty, was carried with acclamation. At the conclusion of the meeting, the following resolution, moved by the Mayor, was carried unanimously:—“That this meeting resolves that as soon as the area commander is announced a meeting be convened in Hamilton to divide the area into localities and to set up the required committees in terms with Regulation 6 of the Emergency Reserve Corps Regulations, 1940.”