EQUIPMENT FOR HOME GUARD

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23753, 26 September 1942, Page 6

EQUIPMENT FOR HOME GUARD

FIRE POWER TO BE INCREASED ASSURANCE GIVEN AT ASHBURTON An indication that the arming of the Home Guard would be vastly improved in the near future and everything possible was being done to increase its efficiency and firepower, was given by Brigadier E. T, Rowllings, officer commanding the Southern Military District, to a conference called at Ashburton yesterday by the Ashburton County Council on equipping the Home Guard. With Brigadier Rowllings were Colonel G. E. F. Kingscote (district director of the Home Guard) and Lieutenant-Colonel D. E. Wanklyn (area commander). ■ At the conference were representatives of the Ashburton County and Borough Councils, Ashburton group of Home Guard, Mid-Canterbury Council of Primary Production, Mrs A. N. Grigg, M.P., and Mr Jack Acland, M.P. Suggestions that an indication be given about uniforms, arms, ammunition and equipment, and the probable date of issue to all companies, and an indication as to the transport of men to and from parades, were made by Mr S. P. Taylor (chairman) for the Ashburton County Council. Mr Taylor said that it had been stated that numbers of men granted sine die adjournments of appeals against service, especially from early appeals, have not been posted to the Home Guard, and this was causing considerable concern. Clarification of the position would be welcomed. It would seem that after two years the Home Guard had reached a dead end, stated Mr J. Moore (a member ef the Ashburton County Council), and it appeared that their energy was now more or less misdirected. He said that older men would be better employed arranging relief for the younger men on the farms. Energy expended on the Home Guard parades largely meant a loss on the production side. Production and Training Mr J. H. Grigg (representing the Mid-Canterbury Council of Primary Production) stated that it was a definite hardship on Home Guardsmen to try- to do their own business and trainhas been a great deal of dissatisfaction by the men in the Home Guard,” said Mrs A. N. Grigg, M.P. Farmers were concerned about primary production as well as Home Guard training. When men were engaged In important farm work. Home Guard commanders should be instructed to consider applications for leave more readily. Mr Jack Acland, M.P., said that he, with others, was concerned about the filing of discontent about the Home Guard throughout the South Island, and he had mentioned the matter to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones). Brigadier’s Reply " A quantity of uniforms for the Home Guard were actually at Ashburton, and before the end of October there would be'available sufficient uniforms to equip both the Ashburton and Methven battalions, stated Brigadier Rowllings after he had made a statement in committee about the quantity and type of arms that had already been issued tb the battalions. Giving details of the reserve of ammunition held in the Ashburton area, Brigadier Rowllings said that this included rifles and Mills bombs to be used not only for actual combat but also live bombs for training during the year. There was little chance of Army vehicles being used to assist with Home Giiard transport because of the shortage of tyres, he said. It was fully realised that the Home Guard was the first line of defence, and everything possible was being done to increase its efficiency and fire power, he stated. Cblonel Wanklyn said that further improvement in Home Guard equipment was anticipated in the near future. Each battalion would have as much fire power as it could handle. Suggestion For Minister At a committee meeting of the Ashburton County Council, which followed the conference, it was decided to suggest to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) that members of the Home GUard on more than 50 years of age be relieved of weekly Home Guard •duties so that their time could be devoted to primary production. It was decided to emphasise that other workers were exempt from Home Guard duties and the committee felt that farm workers were entitled to at least equal consideration as no man could be expected to last long on a seven-day week without any periods of rest. Other industries, most of which were On a 40-hour a week basis, had their day of rest, but the farm worker had not.