RECRUITING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 132, 15 March 1940, Page 8

RECRUITING

CONSCRIPTION ADVOCATED RAGLAN COUNCIL’S RESOLUTION. HAMILTON, March 14. Grave concern at the Government’s alleged half-hearted method of obtaining men for the Second New' Zealand Expeditionary Force and its present unwillingness to place the country’s war effort on a truly national basis was expressed at a meeting of the Raglan County Council. The .majority of members considered conscription inevitable and its immediate introduction essential, in view of the apparent failure of the voluntary system.' The following motion W'as carried, only one councillor dissenting: “That this council is strongly in favour of a system of universal compulsory national service being instituted at the earliest possible moment for the duration of the war. The council is in a position to view the effects of the voluntary system of enlistment on the farming community and can definitely state that farm management and primary produce ..production are already suffering as a result of the present system.”

The chairman (Mr H. W. Wilson) in proposing the resolution, advocated a definite policy of “farm or fight.” In spite of what had been said to the contrary by some councils, ho maintained that it w r as the responsibility of local bodies to do all Avithin’their power : to see that, a fair and equitable, system of national service was instituted.

ENTHUSIASTIC MEETINGS. HAWERA AND NEW PLYMOUTH. NEW PLYMOUTH, March 14. Preceded by -parades of Returned Soldiers and Army and Air Force units and headed by brass hands and pipers, recruiting meetings, conducted at Hawcra'and New' Plymouth, to-day by the Deputy-Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) and Major-General J. E. Dnigan, were exceptionally w r ell attended, and were marked by the keenest enthusiasm. Interest at _ both •centres was kindled by the arrival of the touring party by aeroplane,, folloAVing which pamphlets were dropped over the towns from the machine. Enthusiasm was most marked, tonight, at New Plymouth, where hundreds of people lined’ the main street for a parade of more than 450 officers and men, members of the St. John Ambulance Voluntary Aid Detachment and the Red Gross.