THE NEW GUARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 14

THE NEW GUARD

"COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED" ORGANISATION STILL FUNCTIONS The deputy-leader of the New Guard of New South Wales, Mr. George E. Knox, passed through Auckland yesterday on tiio Mariposa, en route to London. Ho will proceed later to Johannesburg to take up tho position of manager of tho Western Assurance Company in South Africa. "Tho course of ovents in Australia has completely justified the policy and actions of tlie New Guard," said Mr. Knox. "In fact, it can be definitely stated that the Nationalist Government was put into power in New South Wales by the New Guard. Let it be plainly understood that tho New Guard was never intended to be a physical force. In that it differs utterly from the Nazis in Germany. Wo never, for instance, wore uniforms; only white bands round the arms. We wero non-political to tho extent that our ranks, numbering 100,000, contained men of all political creeds. As a matter of fact, 60 per cent of our members were trade unionists. The great influence of tho New Guard was moral; tho use of physical forco was only resorted to purely for defensive purposes, when tho Iteds organised against us. We did not organise as a military forco until clashes occurred with the Communists. "Tho New Guard has not been disbanded," said Mr. Knox. "After the great Nationalist victory at the polls a certain amount of reaction set in, but we are now consolidating our forces again, although purely on moral lines. Our membership is being kept alive by participation in social functions and wo aro doing our best to keep up a thoroughly energetic, loyal organisation whoso solo objective is tho maintenance of British traditions."