MILITARY TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1934, Page 6

MILITARY TRAINING

PLATOON AT NGAIO

With the object of forming a Territorial company in the Ngaio district a meeting was held at the Ngaio Town Hall last evening. Mr. G. .13. Littlejohn, on behalf of the Ngaio Progressive Association, which had called the meeting, presided over a, small attendance. Among thoso present were Colonel R. S. McQuamc, representing the Wellington headquarters of the R.S.A., Major E. M. Staco, of the Wellington Regiment, and Captain >S. Frickleton, V.C.

It was decided to form a provisional committee, comprising Messrs. H. L. Cmnmings, G. E. Littlejohn, Shann, Proudfoot, and Stirling, to consider the possibilities of forming a Ngaio Eegimontal Association of the Wellington Regiment. The committee was authorised to take the necessary steps to enrol members and to arrange a further meeting in Ngaio at which the association would be definitely established and a permanent committee elected.

Major Stace gave a resume of the history of tho Wellington Regiment, and indicated what would be required in forming an association at Ngaio.

On behalf of the K.S.A., Colonel McQuarrio informed those present that headquarters was strongly behind them. Training was beneficial to the men, and it was kept on a very high plane. -. Captain IVickleton pointed "out that there was at present a wuve of pacifism in tho Dominion and that it should be combated. A 6 tlio present time the major nations were ready to fi^ht and had only been kept in check by Britain. He thought that the youth of today might be compared with, the youth of 1914 prior to the Great War. Both faced a critical period. The young men of today, he stated, should take a greater interest in world affairs. There were now'39o men in the Wellington Regiment, compared with some 1300 in pre-volunteer days. Enough interest was not being, taken in military training.