364 EX-SERVICEMEN

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1939, Page 7

364 EX-SERVICEMEN

ENLIST AT NAPIER. FOR N.Z. DEFENCE. HASTINGS, April 26. Ex-servicemen who paraded at Napier yesterday for the Anzac Day service, marched to the Defence Office following the ceremony, and offered their services for the defence of New Zaland. An appeal was made during the service, and 364 men who formed the procession marched in a body to the office, where they were issued with certificates of registration. Every man had already seen active service. WELLINGTON, April 26. On his return to Wellington by air from Napier, where he delivered the Anzac Day address, Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., President of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association and of the New Zealand Defence League, stated that the returned soldiers on parade in Napier yesterday set a splendid example to the rest of the people of the Dominion. At the conclusion of the service, the whole of the men on parade, totalling 364, marched to the Drill Hall in a body, and signed up, offering themselves for service in the New Zealand defence forces. GISBORNE, April 25.

After an address on defence by Mr R. F. Gambrill, one of the four territorial colonels posted to the retired list last June, more than 200 members at the annual meeting of the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association to-day adopted a motion

(a) Expressing strong support bi the opinion that much larger land forces were vitally necessary for the security of New Zealand. (b) Urging all returned men to support the New Zealand Defence League, or any other movement which may assist in presenting the position more widely before the public, and bringing about the establishment of a system of universal service and a citizen army of the requrreo standard.

(c) Commending the suggestion advanced by the Prime Minister (th a Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) in Auckland on Monday that a force of 50,000 may possibly be raised, and giving Mr Savage and the Minister for Defence an assurance of all possible support towards that objective.