"INVITING TROUBLE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 132, 7 June 1939, Page 12

"INVITING TROUBLE"

SECTIONAL UNITS

POLITICAL DANGERS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ( VIEW

Attention having been drawn to the matter by the board of the Wellington Junior Chamber of Commerce, the council of the senior chamber last night expressed unanimous opposition to proposals to form Territorial units composed entirely of members of certain political groups. There was general agreement that the principle involved in the proposals was fundamentally unsound and dangerous, and it was decided to place the position before the Associated Chambers of Commerce with a view to organised action. The following resolution was received from the junior chamber: That the attention of the senior chamber be drawn to the suggestion that Territorial units be formed completely officered by certain political groups. That this move be rigidly opposed on the ground that it is wrong to allow any political body to be organised and armed as a complete unit.

The president (Captain S. Holm) said that he thought the junior chamber was right in its attitude. "I don't know where we would be if we had a farmers' unit completely officered byfarmers, or if we had a unit solely composed of, say, solicitors," he added. TRADE UNION COMPANIES. Part of a Press Association telegram from Auckland referring to the launching of an appeal by the defence committee of the Auckland council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour to all trade unionists to offer their services for the voluntary defence of the Dominion was read by Captain Holm. One extract was as follows: — The proposed conditions of service are: (1) That a company of 200 men between the ages of 18 and 35 be offered to the Minister of Defence as a complete unit in an Auckland battalion; (2) that the company be enlisted from bona fide members of trade unions, and that it be officered by trade unionists specially trained within six months of establishment; (3) that a special reserve company of 100 men between the ages of 35 and 55 be offered to the Minister of Defence as a complete trade union unit with trade union officers and non-commissioned officers. The idea of the junior chamber, said Mr. L. M. Enting, was that other countries equally as stable as New Zealand had found themselves faced with grave problems as a result of allowing certain sections to arm to the extent where they felt that they had the whip hand. "Although at present we in New Zealand are not faced with any problems of that nature, at the same time, should anything mature from these suggestions we consider that it will possibly be the introduction of the thin end of the wedge towards that end," said Mr. Enting. "Therefore we feel that this council should give the matter attention right from the start in case a very undesirable state of affairs should come about." Mr. F. Wilson said that he thought the junior chamber was to be commended for raising the issue. He felt that the matter was of sufficient importance to be sent on to the Associated Chambers for action, and he moved accordingly. Captain Helm: The Associated Chambers would be the proper body to take it up. "DANGEROUSLY WRONG." The motion was seconded by Mr. S. Cory-Wright, who said that it did seem to him to be a mistake to allow sectional units to be formed. "It is inviting trouble for the future," he declared. "It is fundamentally and dangerously wrong." | The motion was carried unanimously.