"NO PRIVATE WAR"

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13242, 18 January 1941, Page 1

"NO PRIVATE WAR"

HOME GUARD AND EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS SCHEME

POSITION OF THE ORGANISATIONS CLARIFIED

CO-OPERATION IS URGED

A statement to the effect that he wanted \it to be realised that there was no private war between the Emergency Precautions Scheme and the Home Guard, and that the two organisations should work together, was made by Mr R. W. Wise, of Rotorua, staff officer to Major Herrold, area commander of the Home Guard, during the course of some observations concerning the functions of the two organisations at a meeting of the Emergency Precautions Committee on Tuesday, when the future of the Emergency Precautions Scheme was again fully discussed. There were present at the meeting the Mayor (Mr L. R. Wilkinson) who presided, Major V. J. Scantlebury, Captain J. Mitchell, and Messrs F. Auld, A. Stewart, T. Moorhouse, D. Bain, A. J. Mirrielees, O. Knight, S. W. Gunton, H. Lewis, Allen Smith, H. Angus and J. R. Chambers (secretary). During the meeting Mr Wise, who was accompanied by Mr J. M. Roberts, also of the staff of the Home Guard headquarters in Rotorua, waited on the committee. A letter was received from the National Service Department, Wellington, in connection with the Emergency Reserve Corps, and stating clearly the position of the Emergency Precautions Committee in relation to the Home Guard.

this country and the Home Guard was called out and mobilised, it would be quite likely that the emergency precautions organisation would have to be attached to the Home Guard. "No Interference'.' So far as his area was concerned Mr Wise stated that they had decided that they did not want to interfere with the Emergency Precautions Scheme in any shape or form, but they did want to amalgamate their interests. They suggested that the Emergency Precautions Committee should appoint a liaison officer to act between the two organisations. It would be as well to say that in the event of mobilisation there would be no such thing as the Home Guard or the Emergency Precatuions Scheme because the military would take over everything. The two organisations would, of course, keep their identity, but the military authorities Avould have control. *lt was, said Mr Wise, important that a liaison officer should be appointed, and communication between the two organisations maintained. In the event of an emergency arising it would be useless for the Home Guard to put its transport into action without communicating with the Emergency Precautions Committee to ascertain what course it was taking as there was only one road. Evacuation Plans Mr Angus said that Mr Wise had mentioned that in the case of an evacuation, plans had been made to make Rotorua objective. The Evacuation Committee in Tauranga had planned evacuating the people to Oropi and the outlying districts of Tauranga only. Mr Wise explained that he was working on a very large scale. Such as in the case of a raider being sighted, then all the peb.ple from the coastal towns would be evacuated to Rotorua. He did want the committee to realise that there was no private war between the Emergency Precautions Scheme and the Home Guard. They should work together. It was all for the same end. It was quite right that the Emergency Precautions Scheme should carry on with the evacuation plan, because, as Mr Angus had staged, it might take one or two days, or even a week for the people to reach Rotorua. Plans had to be made for camping sites along the route. . In reply to a question by the chairman, Mr Wise said that the Emergency Precautions Committee in Rotorua was not working on the same lines as the Home Guard, and there was no intention of having headquarters at Rotorua or of con- [ trolling from there. Flour Supplies

The chairman stated that the letter gave a clear outline of the views of the Director of National Service with regard to the functioning of the two organisations. He asked if, after hearing the letter read, the meeting was prepared to go further into the question as raised at the last meeting of the committee, or whether it was preferable to hear the representatives from Rotorua before a decision was reached.

Position Clearly Stated

Mr Angus asked if the question were not now redundant, in view of the fact that the position had been so clearly stated in the letter. The chairman said the decision still rested with the committee, but the letter had clarified the position so far as the committee was concerned. In the opinion of the secretary the thing now was not to join the Home Guard but to co-operate with it. It was contended by Mr Auld that there was nothing, to stop men in other services who were not in absolutely essential of key positions from joining any organisation they chose. The view was expressed by Mr Lewis that the question did not call for any further discussion, as it was now perfectly clear that the committee should remain as it was.

"No Shontage"

The chairman said there were a good number of people available for the Home Guard, and he did not think it would go short of personnel. He understood that, as a result of this discussion, the committee would remain as at present, pending further information. It was well for the committee to feel settled with regard to its work. It must keep progressing. On the motion of Mr Auld, seconded by Mr Angus, it was agreed that the letter be received pending a conference with the Rotorua representatives of the Home Guard later in the day. When introducing Mr Wise and Mr Roberts to the meeting, the chairman said that at the last meeting of the committee it had been decided to invite Major Herrpld to attend a meeting of the committee and explain the poistion with regard to the Emergency Precautions Committee and the "Home Guard. Unfortunately, Major Herrold was unable to be present, but he had sent two .worthy representatives. . Mr Wise stated that if he and Mr Roberts could assist the committee in clarifying the position between the Emergencv Precautions Scheme and the Home Guard they would be pleased to do so. He did not know what the trouble was.

Mr Mirrielees mentioned the fact that he knew that if Tauranga were cut off there would only be a sufficient supply of flour on hand to last a few days. This was not a very happy position to he in, and if Mr Wise knew of any method whereby a large supply could be stored, or whether anything had been done to get a supply in the district, should the necessity arise, it would ease the minds of a lot of people. Mr Wise stated that nothing had been done except to take a tally of all the available stock at all the stores. He suggested that the committee should bring the question under the notice of the National Service Department. He also would bring the question up in Rotorua. The' chairman mentioned that the benzine supply would also have to be reviewed.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Wise and Mr Roberts.

"Entirely Separate"

At the present time, Mr Wise added, the Emergncy Precautions Scheme was entirely separate from the Home Guard. The key men of the Emergency Precautions Scheme should stand behind the committee. If, however, there were" any men in that organisation who desired to join the Home Guard, then what had to be done was to find substitutes. It was quite clear that the new form which had been issued was for.both the Home Guard and the Emergency Precautions Scheme. They were two separate issues. It could, therefore, be seen that both organisations came under the Emergency Reserve Corps. On one side was the Home Guard — the civilian army—and on the other was the Emergency Precautions Scheme .which was more for a national emergencv and more for a great disaster internally. It was really set up for that purpose, but in the event of an emergency occurring in