VOLUNTEER SPIRIT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 240, 7 July 1931, Page 5

VOLUNTEER SPIRIT

Wanganui Encouragement ASSOCIATION FORMED Helping the Regiment Wanganui, July 6. To act as a liaison body between employers and the military command, a regimental association was formed at Wanganui this afternoon. The meeting, was convened by the mayor, Mr. N. G. Armstrong, who said that the military history of Wapganui went back to the early days of the settlement. Wanganui had always beeu a garrison town and some time in the ’sixties the Wangauui Cavalry and Kai Iwi Cavalry had been formed. The Wanganui Cavalry was at one time the only force between the town and Titokowai'U, and the Kai Iwi Cavalry had been formed in . the days of Te Whiti, and was one of the few uniformed companies in the colony. . The mayor suggested- that as the military system had been changed from compulsory to voluntary that citizens should give some assistance to the regiment having its headquarters in the town; letter to the chairtnan, Colonel F. K. Turnbull said that apart from what was purposed military training had done good'for New Zealand, the mixing of younger men and the application of discipline had had a beneficial effect. He appealed to older men to give support to young men, and encourage them so that Wanganui should maintain the strength of its regiment and retain the prestige , of the city. Association’s Duties. Captain Maxwell explained proposals for the working of the new volunteer force and outlined the duties of the Regimental Association. He said that although only 80 of the-200 men'required had enlisted, men were coming in every day. He understood that the Government was encouraging Civil Servants to enlist, arid the banks had issued instructions to all branches to encourage enlistment.

Mr. Annabell mentioned that Wanganui had always been the garrison town, and the right spirit had prevailed to enable the strength allocated to the district to be recruited. He was sure that employers ■ would co-operate with the military authorities in the matter of leave for training camps. The smallness of the companies allocated to Wanganui was-cominented on by Mr. Anderson. He said that in the old days Wanganui was a big military centre, and so many recruits offered that it was always a case of picking men rather than appealing for volunteers. The spirit of competition fostered in the old volunteer army had made flip system a real success in New Zealand, and he was pleased to see it reintroduced. . Age-limit .Question. The suggestion that the age-limit should .be raised was vetoed on the grounds that this had had mature consideration with the conclusion that soldiering was for young men. The holding of camps at Wanganui was favoured, and the offer to hold a mounted rifle camp in the city was welcomed. A committee was set up as follows, with power to add and to appoint its own Chairman Colonel F. K. Turnbull. Colonel Cade, Messrs. Keesing, Saunders, xucfiarlane, Swanger, Cannon, and the chairman of the Employers’ Association.