N.Z. RECRUITING

Grey River Argus, 5 January 1940, Page 8

N.Z. RECRUITING

A FRESH SPURT Prime Minister’s Confidence [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 4. The firm belief that the men need ed for all armed servicg could be secured under the voluntary system, was expressed by Mr Savage, in an interview. Under the present campaign.for recruits for the second and third, echelons of the Special Force, the Napier-Gisborne-Wairarapa area of tfife central military district, is the first m New Zealand to fill the fi. men. ~ f .. The quota was 315 and up t 6 midnight, 316 had been classed ad fit, and there were some 200 still to medically examined. Up to January 2, enlistments ip tue Central District totalled the whole Special Force, of whom-3,69;) were classified as fit, 665 temporal ily unfit, 3,437 sent to camp, and ( 398 were in reserved occupations an therefore not available, leaving a - balance of 883 available for posting to camp. The district quota is 1,744 The effect of yesterday’s ceremonial farwell, and the sight of the khaki-clad men. is obvious from the big increase in' the Wellißgton-HutL Valley enlistments, dtrfing the ha 77day that remained -The recruiting at the Bilway station, while the troops for camp collect a dozen recruits, and at Buckle Street durafternoon and evening ma .!? total 61, easily the biggest dav ' * since the first few days the depots were open in September. The Prime Minister said, in an interview :--“I am not prepared to admit that the average New Zealander has lost his sense of proportion, and I feel he must realise that, if he does not enlist and go where the war is now, he will eventually have to enlist and fight a lone hand, if he stays at

home.” . _ . Without the assistance of Gre% Britain, export became an I , i pP os ' sibility said Mr Savage, and without export’ the whole of our economic life would be strangled. He had no more love for war than the average man. It was absolutely essential tna. we should get the men, and the Government intended to make an immediate drive for recruits. He had sufficient confidence in the young men of the country to believe that they would enlist, knowing the responsibility they carried. He emphasised; again that there must be more equality of sacrifice. BANDS FOR N.Z. FORCES. SUPPLY OF INSTUMENTS. WELLINGTON, January 4. It is announced by Captain R. H. Nimmo, that through the assistance of the National Patriotic Fund Board, sufficient band instruments have been acquired to supply all the require ments of the Expeditionary Force, in accordance wRh the establishment laid down. . As the result of conferences with Major-General Freyberg it has been decided that an establishment of seven bands be set up. Three will remain permanently in camp in New Zealand, and four will proceed overseas, being one for each brigade, ani one for the divisional troops, such as artillery, machine-gun corps, and al l other units of a division. General'y speaking, the instruments have been purchased somewhere in the vicinity of 65 per cent, less than the original cost price. , . Captain Nimino expresses thanks to all who made instruments available for purchase.

Second Echelon POSTINGS ANNOUNCED. CHRISTCHURCH, January 4. The first postings to units of the 2nd. Echelon of the Expeditionary Force of men from Canterbury, was made yesterday. The first selection was of 112 men. Others will be chosen following medical examinations in the next few days. The men posted to Burnham Camp will go there on January 12. Men for Trentham will travel by the ferry steamer on "anuary 11, while those for other North Island camps will leave Christchurch on January 10. A total of 125 men will be medic ally examined in Christchurch today Four medical boards will examine 80 men in the morning, and three boards will sit in the afternoon to give tests of 45 men. On Saturday morning the last batch oi men who will go into camp for training on January 12 will be examine!, three ooards having been arranged. The medical boards yesterday passed 52 men as fit for all service, six as temporarily unfit and 15 as permanently unfit for service overseas.

CHRISTCHURCH RECRUITING.

CHRISTCHURCH, January 4. The stimulus given to recruiting since the campaign was begun on December 22, is shown by the latest figures. , For tl’C fortnight ended December 22 69 registrations were made, the records at offices being: Christchurch 60 Ashburton 2, Timaru 7. Nine, reervitng davs later the registrations for the district are .246. Christchurci has contributed 218 men, Ashburton 9, and Timaru 19. . Recruiting was brisk in Christchurch yesterday, the recruits to -j p.m. numbering 37. the best day but one since the initial rush of enlistees at the outbreak of the war. A special appeal for recruits or units designed to follow the Ist. Echelon overseas was made by Mr. W. R. Lascelles, one of the speakers nt the farewell function in Cranmer Square yesterday. He said that the new Expeditionary Force would enhance the name of Anzac, but he emphasised that men were needed for further detachments. Mr. Lascelles recalled some of the great feats and triumphs of the Empire and New Zealand troops in the last war—the battles of the Somme, Messines, of Gallipoli, and the battles during desert warfare, such as Sinai. “In the same spirit the new men face this new conflict,” he said. “They are untried in battle, but it is said by those most competent to judge that they are worthy to become the successors of the Ist. New Zealand Expeditionary Force.” ' “As everyone must realise in these men we have the pioneer nucleus of

a magnificent fighting force, Mr. Lascelles said. “It is comforting to reflect, too, that these men are going to sail under such a happy augury: first, they are crusaders in a great cause; second, they are the inheritors of a great tradition, and third, they are led by a humane, courageous, and distinguished commander. “But this occasion is also a reminder. The Government has addressed to us an appeal for 10,000 enlistments, to enter camp by January 12. The decision as to our duty in war time is a matter for the indi ■ vidual, but I would like to emphasise the urgency of the appeal. With a Special Force going away, we must now have more men under training It is no use for us, who, at the moment are not going away, to shrug our shoulders, to say it is a funnv war, and to do nothing ourselves. Apathy is the accomplice of defeat. Germany’s conquest of Poland was a great military achievement. We are facing a powerful foe. We must not under-estimate the power of the enemy. We might be facing a long struggle against a couple of international burglars whose motto is 'robbery under arms.’ Every individual is now faced with the duty of making a prompt decision as to his or her war effort. The finest tribute we can pay to these men now going away is to dedicate ourselves to some service in the cause for which they are prepared to give their all.’’

CHRISTCHURCH MAYOR'S SPEECH. CHRISTCHURCH, January 4. "These men have volunteered in no light-hearted spirit and there is no doubt that they will acquit themselves well,” said the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr. R. M. Macfarlam, M.P. when addressing the troops o’ the Ist. Echelon at the ceremony in Cranmer Square yesterday. Other speakers echoed Mr. Macfarlane’s sentiments and all paid a warm compliment to the bearing and discipline of the men. Mr. Macfarlane read apologies from the Mayor of Dunedin, Mr. A. H( Allen, and the Mayor of Timaru (Mr. G. Tweedy). Mr. Allen said in his message:— “When farewelling the men of the Ist. Echelon, kindly tender to them congratulations from the people of Dunedin and Otago on their ready response to the call of duty, and wish them godspeed good health, good fortune, and a safe return to their kith and kin. We are proud of them and wish them well.”

Mr. Tweedy sent a* similar telegram. There were loud cheers as each message was read. Mr. Macfarlane was applauded when he asked that the troops be allowed to sit down. This suggestion was promptly carried into effect. Ho thanked all citizens who had helped to make the troops at home in the city during their months of training at Burnham, thanking in particular the members of the Welcome Club. Other troops would be following the Ist. Echelon into camp, Mr. Macfarlane said, and the work of the Welcome Club would go on. But many members of the Ist. Echelon had asked him to voice thanks to the Welcome Club for its help. "It should be remembered that today there are many more people, not here now, but with us in spirit,” Mr. Macfarlane said. “There are the countless parents, wives, and sweethearts of men here and in other camps, unable to be with us, but still at one with us- in our feelings, for these men. All over New Zealand, in fact, there will be functions to-day similar to this, and it is safe to say that practically all New Zealand is with us in saying farewell to the men of the 2nd. New Zealand Expeditionary Force. "It is regrettable, in this generathat we should have to hold such, a function,” Mr. Macfarlane said, “but the dictatorship Powers have forced a situation on us where we must fight. Germany built up her armaments to a point where she decided to test the democratic Powers and we had to fight. The quarrel was not one of our seeking, but was forced on us.

AUTOCRATIC STATES. ‘'“We must remember that these autocratic States have absolute power over their people,” Mr. Macfarlane added. “While, to people living under democratic rule, there might appear to be some irksome restrictions, compared with the state of the dictatorship peoples, our conditions were worth fighting for. In a democracy, we realise that we have the power to change things, if the majority find them not to their liking; but under a dictatorship there is absolute power. I care not whether it is a dictatorship of the left or of the right, and as an instance we have the experience of the Russian people. The Russian system is said to be a dictatorship of t|ie proletariat. We find that while we might find certain things irksome to us under a democracy, under dictatorship we have concentration camps, control over the press, and we find too, that no person’s home is sacred. On occasions, Great Britain has even humbled herself to preserve peace. But the time came when, after threats of aggression against Poland, we had tc. make a stand against the dictatorships for freedom.” “I am sure <hat I voice the sentiment of the great body of people in New Zealand when I say to the troops going away that they have our best wishes,” Mr. Macfarlane added. “It was in no light-heartei manner that they responded to the call. They gave due regard to all the consequences of their response. It was in this spirit that they volunteered to serve their country. We know that the 2nd. Expeditionary Force will acquit itself in a manner equal to its predecessors. (Applause). They will make contact with troops from other parts of our Empire, and I am sure that they will make Nev/ Zealand favourably known. I hope, too, that they will be able to play their part in securing true and lasting peace on firm foundations. I am sure that they will do their part in seeing that a true international peace is arrived at and those who follow them will not live to see peace threatened time and again. On behalf of the city, and of the South Island, which you represent. I wish you godspeed and a safe return. I might say that it is our hope that you might not, even, have to engage in the conflict, but we all wish for your return, safe and sound.”

“ALIEN PAGAN PHILOSOPHY.” MR. SULLIVAN’S REFERENCES. Speaking for the New Zealand Government the Minister for Supply, the Hoh. D. G- Sullivan, said: > “We are gathered here in the pre-

sonce of the soldiers of our young nation. They have volunteered themselves with other young men of the British Empire as a living rampart against a powerful enemy that has already ruthlessly destroyed the free nations of Poland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, and would proceed to destroy piecemeal other free nations, including France and England unless halted .by a more powerful force than they can muster. “But there is worse than that to be said. Our Christian Scriptures say’ ‘Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him which is able to de-, stroy both soul and body in hell.’ With remorseless ferocity, German’-' has destroyed the nationhood, th a free existence of Austria, Poland, and Czechoslovakia, and at the same time is destroying their ancient culture, and imposing upon them a fantastic, alien, pagan philosophy, and a foreign way of living and thinking that is repulsive to them, killing their souls and giving them German souls instead. It is to save the souls and the nationhood of these small states and to save the British Empire and our ally France, and the peoples of the world generally against this fate, that these young men go to fight. “There are noble traditions that they will maintain under the leadership of a great New Zealand soldier and British General—Major-General Freyberg. “They will remember that they have the souls of New Zealand ! n their keeping. They will remember the pioneers of New Zealand and how they fought against the forces of Nature to build a nation—against tire all-surrounding bush, the mountains and the mountain torrents, and with their labour and the qualities of their souls, planted here in this new land, the most promising civilisation in the world. They will remember South Africa and Gallipoli, and France and Flinders, and the imperishable glory of Anzac. They will remember our gallant women whose courage and resource have already won them high renown. “They will remember New Zealand’s sons of the sea who fought in the Achilles in the South Atlantic. They will remember the sons of New Zealand who have fought on the land, in' the air,, and on the seas, and they, too, will add their quota of glory to the name and the history of their country. The New Zealand Labour Government joins with the other Governments of the Empire and with the Labour parties in every part of the Empire in this struggle to save the soul of the world and the freedom of the world against the destroying monster of Hitlerism, and we pray to-dav that He Who is all good and in Whom there is no evil, will put the mantle of His protection over these boys and bring them safe home to their families and ’ their country. In the name of the Government and the people of New Zealand, I thank the men of the Special Force and wish them godspeed and a safe return.”

The G.O.C. AT R.S.A. FUNCTION. WELLINGTON, January 3. Wellington returned soldiers accorded Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., a tumultuous welcome at a meeting in the Town Hall Concert Chamber this evening. They cheered him as he rose to speak, and sang "For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Afterwards he shook hands with the men who had served in the divisions with which he had been associated in the. last war. Lieutenant-Colonel A. Cowles, president of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, expressed the pleasure felt by former soldiers that General Freyberg had been appointed to command the 2nd. New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He would be an inspiration to the younger men, he said. The Hon. W., Perry, president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Assoc'ation, said he was glad to s?e such a big crowd. He knew they would wish General Freyberg the greatest possible success. “As I said yesterday, if I don’t appear moved by this reception tonight, it belies the feelings that are inside me,” said General Freyberg. "Since arriving in New Zealand, what with the kindness shown to me and my work, I have deserted all my old friends; bvt you must remember that if I have not been able to come to see you, it is not because I did not want to.” Referring to his inspections of the troops in camp, at Burnham, Trentham, Ngaruawahia, and Papakura. General Freyberg said: "I think, from my experience, that my eye is pretty good, and I can tell you I have been greatly impressed by the stamp of man, by h’s demeanour nn parade, by his toughness, and I’m perfectly certain that it will not be for want of trying or went of grit if they do not live up to the great traditions set them. We feel the responsibility, and I know it, and I’m glad of it, because it sets a standard that we must live up to. If we do that, it will reflect the greatest credit on the Expeditionary Force and on our country.”

OFFICIAL LUNCHEON FIRST ECHELON AND SECOND WELLINGTON, January 4. High tributes were paid to the Navy and Army by the DeputyPrime Minister (Mr Fraser) at the official luncheon at Parliament Buildings, in honour of the First Echelon, and its escort. Reference was made to the way ’ the troops had offered for service from the outposts of the Empire, and to the valuable work if the silent service, without which the seas could not be kept open'for the efficient operation of the life lines of the Great Commonwealth. The only toast, besides "The King,” was “Our Guests,” in proposing of which, Mr Fraser’s remarks were' warmly supported by other Parliamentarians. It was replied to by Major-General Freyberg and Captain Baillie-Grohman of the Ramillies, and Rear-Admiral J. D. Grace of H.M.A.S. Canberra.