Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1938. MILITARY RESERVE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 20, 3 November 1938, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1938. MILITARY RESERVE.

Returned men may confidently be expected to respond to the invitation to enrol in the national reserve for home defence, outlined by the Minister the other day. Mr Jones stated that the proposal was to compile a nominal register of men between the ages of forty and fifty who would be available for guard duty and similar classes of work should their services be required. Enrolment will not entail service overseas and no training will be involved. The formation of such a body of returned men would be of great value in two ways. First the experience gained in their war service, not forgotten in spite of intervening years, would give them a flying start in the doing of essential things and enable them to assist, without timidity or confusion, in getting these things done quickly. Secondly, their example would undoubtedly serve to infuse a spirit of confident enthusiasm into all others who might be associated with them in the discharge of highly important duties. The very seniority that . disqualifies them for arduous toil would be a spetial qualification for this indispensable sort of aid. Their attachment here and there to official staffs, with whom would rest authority and responsibility over all organised units, should serve to expedite instruction of these. As a practical expedient this plan, indeed, commends itself to everybody acquainted with service conditions. The scheme at present is a ■ very modest one, one thousand being given as the strength. In view of the fact that the Minister has already received a number of offers, with indications of the various capacities in which the inquirers might be employed, there is every promise that the required strength could be more than attained, and no doubt the authorities will seize the opportunity of placing the matter on a wider basis so that in the event of emergency an adequate force will be available. In the industrial sphere, according to Mr Henry Ford, there is a place even for most of those who are generally regarded as physically disabled, and in the military sphere there are also fields of activity that are suitable for those who owing to age or other reasons cannot enter the fighting line. The part played by members of this branch of the service, though not so spectacular as that of the front line forces, is just as essential to the defence of the country.