COMPULSION URGED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 127, 31 May 1941, Page 10

COMPULSION URGED

THE HOME GUARD

R.S.A. RECOMMENDATION

Defence matters considered by the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday afternoon covered a wide range. A remit was carried urging compulsory service in the Home Guard, and another asked for more co-operation between the Armed Forces and the Home Guard.

Provisions for those serving in the Forces asked for included a larger grant for outfitting nursing sisters, free transport on all Dominion transport services for soldiers on leave, and facilities for forwarding canteen orders to men overseas.

A remit pressing for a speeding up of the war effort and asking for extended hours at ordinary hourly rates for essential work was opposed by delegates on the ground that it was outside the functions of the association to tell the authorities what should be done about wages. The remit was adopted after the words "at ordinary hourly rates" had been deleted.

It was recommended that the whole cost of organisation and maintenance of the Home Guard should be borne by the Government.

The position of conscientious objectors was discussed in committee, and a remit was carried asking that representations should be made to the Government to implement the regulations providing for alternative service for conscientious objectors, who should be required to do such work at soldiers' rates of pay.

Another remit asking for the cancellation of civil rights to defaulters and deserters was also carried.

When a remit reaffirming the decision of the association to demand compulsory universal national servicecame before the conference, the president (the Hon. W. Perry, T 1.L.C.) said that such service was being slowly implemented. Personally he considered it was not going fast enough.

Referring to the compulsory loan, Mr. Perry said that it had been made clear that there were a great many people in New Zealand who were in favour of the conscription of manpower but objected to the conscription of wealth, which was just as important to the war effort as men.