COUNTRY EXPOSED TO EXTREME PERIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 7 December 1940, Page 5

COUNTRY EXPOSED TO EXTREME PERIL

APPEAL FOR RECRUITS IN HOME GUARD LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DISCUSSION [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, This Day. Alternative service for those who are not fit for full military service and those who are exempted by manpower committees was suggested in the Legislative Council yesterday when the provisions for pensions for members of the Emergency Reserve Corps in the Finance Bill (No. 4) were discussed. It was pointed out that the defence of New Zealand should not rest entirely on the fighting forces, but should be shared by all who could play a part in an emei'gency, and the Leader of the Council (Mr Wilson) said he considered manpower committees should consider making service in the Home Guard a condition of exemption from Territorial or overseas service.

Appeciation of the pension provisions for South African War veterans and members of the Home Guard w/s expressed by the Hon. W. Perry (Wellington). The Home Guard was important and essential in the defence of New Zealand, and it was regretted that the response to the appeal for recruits had not been better. It was difficult to impress upon people the extreme peril to which New Zealand was exposed today. The Prime Minister had warned the people six weeks ago and had repeated that warning recently; the Minister of National Security (Mr Semple) had given a similar warning on at least a dozen occasions, but only two days ago a newspaper had complained that the Government had not warned the people. Mr Perry said that he hoped the position of the Home Guard would improve because it might yet help to decide whether New Zealand was to remain free or come under the domination of a power. Mr Perry then made the suggestion that men called for service and rejected, and those who were exempted for various reasons should be drafted into the Horn? Guard. He pointed out that service in the Home Guai'd was not beyond those in essential occupations be cause they could do duty in their spare time. There was no i*eal reason why the whole burden should fall on the men of military age, and older men should come forward and help. Endorsing Mr Perry’s remarks, the Hon. B. C. Robbins (Auckland) said that every Legislative Councillor should join the Home Guard and persuade others to do so also. Mr Wilson also appealed to Councillors to do everything possible to make the Home Guard a strong and efficient force. He said he agreed with Mr Perry’s suggestion, and thought that manpower committees should give serious consideration to making membership of the Home Guard a condition ol exemption fi*om military service. The Bill was passed by the Council.