COAST DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1941, Page 5

COAST DEFENCE

NAUTICAL GUARD

FORMATION SUGGESTED

USE OF SMALL CRAFT

Expressing the opinion that it would be better to stop an enemy before he reached the coast of New Zealand than to fight him on land with the Army and the^lome Guard, a number of master mariners, marine engineers, and yachtsmen, who met last night at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, appealed to the Government to form a Nautical Guard, which could be attached to the Navy as the Home Guard would be attached to the Army in the event of an attempted invasion. Yachtsmen considered that they could be organised as a unit of the Emergency Precautions Scheme to help with the evacuation of citizens if the roads leading out of Wellington became blocked by bombing or earthquake.

The meeting decided to set up a committee to confer with the Director of National Service (Mr. J. S. Hunter) to formulate a plan for inaugurating the Nautical Guard. The committee is to consist of three members representing master mariners, three representing marine engineers, three representing yachtsmen, and three representing the Sea Scouts. The yachtsmen have already selected Messrs. W. P. Rollings, R. N. Bennett (former commodores), and G. C Beckett (commodore). Captain S. Holm presided, and said that those used to ships and small craft would be of more use for defence on the water than on the land. VALUABLE ADJUNCT TO E.P.S. Mr. Hunter suggested that if the bodies represented were to unite to form an organisation they might be of great service in an emergency. Facilities for transport by water would be | a valuable adjunct to the E.P.S. The harbourmaster. Captain P. S. Peterson, said that while it was possible that land exits from Wellington might be blocked, he was doubtful if many people could be evacuated by the yachts and launches available. Mr. Beckett said that there was an emergency auxiliary patrol doing good work in Sydney, and New Zealand yachtsmen were anxious to assist in the war effort in the same way. Fast launches could give great assistance if ships were sunk or to airmen who. came down in the sea.

Captain W. McLeod said that fast launches could be fitted with depth charges and machine-guns and could do a great deal of damage to an invader off the coast. He pointed out that the Picton whalechasers were capable of 35 knots.

Other speakers supported the views expressed, and Mr. Hunter. gave an assurance that if a Nautical Guard could be formed yachtsmen in the Home Guard would be able to transfer to it.

It has been arranged that big airraid shelters in Britain shall have a little chemist's shop established in each of them.