HOME GUARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1941, Page 4

HOME GUARD

AUCKLAND DISPUTE AUCKLAND, July 23. Battalion commanders of the Home Guard in the Auckland area held a meeting to consider the statement made by the Minister for National Service (Mr. Semple) when speaking of the information provided last week by the Auckland district commander, Colonel Aldred, V.D., on the future of the organisation. The meeting adopted the following resolution: “That this meeting of battalion commanders of the Home Guard in the Auckland area expresses its sympathy with Colonel Aldred in the unwarranted and ill-mannered attack made on him by the Minister for National Service, and assure him of its continued loyalty and support in spite of the unsatisfactory conditions pertaining in the Home Guard under the (Ministry of National Service.” In addition, the meeting announced that it had decided to request guardsmen throughout the Auckland area to parade as usual, pending more satisfactory arrangements being made for administration of the Home Guard. The following statement was made later by Colonel Aldred. “In my anxiety to allay growing dissatisfaction among Home Guardsmen regarding their future, it would appear that I inadvertently disclosed certain information which General Young, the Dominion Commander, considers should have been regarded as confidential. This being so, I express regret. Until such time as full details of the future policy are made known, I appeal to all guardsmen to carry out their training wholeheartedly as heretofore. The issues at stake are too serious to allow personal feelings to enter into the matter.”