TONE RESENTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 20, 23 July 1941, Page 8

TONE RESENTED

MINISTER'S REMARKS

NOT FOUND HELPFUL

! (P.A.) AUCKLAND, This Day., Strong resentment at the tone of remarks of the Minister of National Service (Mr. Semple) when replying to a statement made on the future of the Home Guard by Colonel M. Aldred, V.D., Home Guard commander for the Auckland district, was expressed at a parade of the Remuera Home Guard and by Mr. M. S. Campbell, secretary of the Pukekohe Home Guard committee.

Mr. A. Tronson, commander of the Remuera Home Guard, said that Mr. Semple was being very free with his criticisms and his remarks were destructive rather than constructive. He was placing guardsmen in an invidious position. It was . Mr. Semple's duty to support the Home Guard, which was at present under his Department... Mr. Semple's recent outbursts had disgusted those who were giving their time to the movement and his statements were responsible for keeping many men away from parades.

The parade, which was attended by about 115 guardsmen, adopted the following resolution, with one dissentient: "That this meeting of the Remuera Home Guard regrets that the Minister of National Service (Mr. Semple) should have seen fit to make disparaging remarks \ concerning Colonel Aldred, Auckland district commander of the Home Guard, and considers this attack upon a worthy and highlyplaced officer was entirely unwarranted. The attacks made by Mr. Semple on Colonel Aldred, an officer with a distinguished record in the field, and earlier upon Mr. H. J. Butcher, chairman of the Auckland central Home Guard committee, because of their efforts to encourage the Home Guard, are proving very detrimental to the well-being of the Guard and are discouraging men who are doing their duty very ably and without any assistance from the Minister of National Service. This meeting expresses the hope that such attacks by the Minister will cease. and considers that such unprovoked attacks are further reason to remove the Home Guard from the Department of National Service and place it under Army control." ' Guardsmen in Pukekohe, said Mr. Campbell in his statement, were astounded to read the remarks of Mr. Semple. Colonel Aldred had a distinguished record in the Great War and at tremendous personal sacrifice had given arduous and' devoted service to the Home Guard movement.,