HOME GUARD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 139, 14 May 1941, Page 12

HOME GUARD

MANAWATU-FOXTON AREA. At the monthly meeting of the Manawatu County-Foxton Home Guard committee at Oroua Downs, Dir W. E. Barber presided. Other members present were Messrs R. A. Wilson, W. A. Hurst, W. \A. Churchill, W. R. Bync, 11. V. Bond and S. , 1.. Orr. Enrolments to date in the Home Guard were reported on by Mr Orr, who said that the total was 720, made up as follows: —Sandon, Olinkea, DTt. Biggs, 132; Awahuri, 55; Rongotea, 120; Glen Oroua, 54; Taikorca, 47; Tangi-moana-Carnarvon. 35; Itangiotu, 02; Oroua Downs, 104; Foxton and DJatiawatu Heads, 25. E.P.S. enrolments numbered 135, making a total : n all of 855. I lie sub-area commander (Mr 11. V. Bond) reported on the weekly parades held and a tncti cal cxcrciso of commanders and n.c.o. s carried out on the coast; subsequently separate units bad carried out field operations. A full muster parade and tactical exercise was planned for all ranks to take pare on the coast this month. The question of finance was still a burning one within the different units, but it was hoped that the promised Government capitation grant would assist the position. A copy of a Homo Guard manual published by the Home Guard headquarters in Napier was adopted as the training manual and the sub-area commander was requested to suggest to headquarters that this manual he adopted throughout the Dominion. A lengthy letter from the National Service Department set. out the basis and the conditions attaching to the capitation grant. The basis of the initial grant is to ho as follows: —For the period ended December 31, 1940, 2s for each guardsman who lias attended not less than 75 per cent, of scheduled parades during January and February of this year and thereafter grants on the basis of Is for each guardsman who attends a minimum of 75 per cent, of parades during each quarter. The allocation of grants between units in each area is to be determined by a special finance committee consisting of the area commander and sub-area commanders in the area. Payment of the grant is to bo made to the local bodies who will act a« "bankers” for the individual units within their area. Mr Bond said that it appeared to him to be a cumbersome wav of administering the grant in view of the fact that a Home Guard organisation was set up and could quite easily deal with t lie matter instead of handing it over to the local bodies. Dir Wilson agreed that the loea! bodies did not. want to have the administration of tlie money and felt that, the Home Guard headquarters in Palmerston North should deal with the matter for this area. It was decided that, a letter he sent to the National Service Department recommending that the Home Guard headquarters in each area receive the money from tile Government and administer the funds instead of the local bodies having to deal with it. A letter is to he sent to all the local bodies in the Home Guard 6A area requesting support of this proposal. Dir Hurst said that it appeared to him that there would not he much for the committee to do in future, hut Dir Wilson was of the opinion that it would he wise to carry on. h was decided to carry on in the meantime. —Sanson correspondent.