MOBILISED FORCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 31, 6 February 1943, Page 6

MOBILISED FORCES

SOME REDUCTION MADE TRAINING OF RELEASED MEN (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Stating that the Government could now accept some reduction of the mobilised forces within the country, the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, today announced that a plan was being brought into operation which would enable some diminution to be made in the local.defence forces. "This plan will provide the maximum of strength and a high degree of- flexibilitv, enabling the smallest possible delay should the threat to New Zealand again become serious," said Mr. Fraser. "There is to be efficient military training of men who are released to industry. Although this arrangement will in-; evitably cause some inconvenience to industry, this must be accepted as part of the price to be paid for the defence-of New Zealand. "The Home Guard will continue to play a vital part in manning the defences in an emergency. With the improved situation in the Pacific, however, the hcurs of obligatory training have been-reduced to eight a month for December, January and February. Should the position deteriorate, it will be necessary to resume training on the old scale. Some reorganisation of the Emergency Precaution Service has also been rendered possible. The net result will be a. considerable relaxation, while at the same time ensuring that the burden may again be taken up should conditions warrant it." Speaking of industrial manpower, Mr. Fraser said that upward of 160,000 men had been taken from industry for service in the armed forces, yet in spite of these large withdrawals and serious difficulties with which industry had been faced the structure of essential industry had been maintained and production for WB7 purposes increased remarkably. - ' .