ARMY CONTROL?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 167, 17 July 1941, Page 5

ARMY CONTROL?

HOME GUARD PLANS CHANGES BEING CONSIDERED A scheme whereby the Home Guard organisation may come more ; closely under army control is con ; sidered likely to be announced in the I near future. Proposals as to the L future of the Home Guard are stated to be receiving the consideration of > the War Cabinet. » A suggestion made some weeks ■ ago was that guardsmen in the centres were to be medically exam- . ined with the view to their being withdrawn for posting to units of • the National Military Reserve. It is ' understood that when this proposal ' was put to some units of the • organisation the men were opposed ■ to any division of members. Following this came an announce- : ment that the appointment of permanent personnel, such as adjutantquartermasters. was about to be made. Men who have been considered for such appointments, it is stated, are to be medically examined b> army boards in the near future. The medical standard decided on is said to be lo*->er than that for either! the Expeditionary Force or the Territorial Force. ' Many Men Apathetic j In the meantime training in Homej Guard units is continuing, although; [it is known that many of the men' jare becoming apathetic. However.! jshould the organisation be placed on' improved basis the guardsmen! will receive some encouragement. It : is known that arms and ammunition' are now more readily available. In spite of the difficulties under* which they work, the officer? of th< ' Home Guanl are still enthusiastic. During the year manv have had ih<opportunity of attending special

courses at the army district school at Narrow Neck, but unlike officers of the Territorial Force they do not receive pay. Not having uniforms they wear their own clothes— denims are provided for drill purposes—and though they have all the privileges of officers they are made to feel, it is said, as if thev were outq siders. Headquarters of the Auckland tarea which have been in the Pale;merston Buildings for some time were transferred to-dav to larger Premises in Nathan s Buildings in i- High Street, where there will be e more room for the activities of the e organisation. d Details Not Available if When approached on the subjectColonel M. Aldred. Home Guard commander for the Auckland district, s said that until the proposals had e been approved he was not able tu i- give any details. However, he had no hesitation in stating that the b plan, if given effect to. would be a f vast improvement on the existing s conditions. The Home Guard would il !?^l n j - and not be e> , ■ w hich at one time seemed e likely. There was now every possibility uiat the Home Guard in New Zea- >. 'and. as in Britain, would be ; allotted a definite task in the defenc* -of the country. The result would be .- that all reasonably lit men would 2 come more directly under armv cvr.r._itrol, and that arms, ammunition and _ j equipment would be available -I readily than in the past. Colon*-! IjAldred said that as far as )v- knew (there was no question of iruard-iri-ii jbeing medically examined. -j The general opinion of ihf p-iMc ! for a long time has been thai it,o

(organisation should V>c under arrov jcontrol. Ji would appear tha' 'n<recommendation? of (;<-nera! i 0 ;v Williams. K.C.8.. C.M.c;.. 1i.50.. mili>|tarv adviser to the (rovcinnin'i i av» (l given impetus to the i 1 ,-,i 'the army and the <; .;'j<d be mnrp cj. -or. .jdinated. The part tha* t:.e Guard in England niavt-d firrjing the large-.ic-alc manoeuvres n :the Eastern Command -„'jde icontro! of General Wrjiams, is v .ji |known to him. As the result ..f Ireeommendations n.adi to the War 'Cabinet, it i- boi rv<] ;hat the organisation rtnia' vill h- laVi.-n a> a m<>d<"i fthr • • i •i t !l . . Dom • n.