FIRST ECHELON MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23592, 28 February 1940, Page 13

FIRST ECHELON MEN

FLAN TO SEND PARCELS 14,000 BALACLAVAS WANTED [BY TET.EGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The National Patriotic Fund Board plans, with the co-operation of the provincial councils, to have forwarded in troop ships taking the second echelon a parcel for each member of the first echelon,' irrespective of his place of enlistment or the fact that he may have received parcels from relatives and others. The Auckland Provincial Council is being asked to provide 2345 parcels, Canterbury 1015. East Coast 157, Hawke's Bay 350, Nelson 192, Marlborough 88. Otago 665, Southland 319, Taranaki 322, Wellington 1418, Westland 129.

Opportunity is also to be presented to knitters as a result of action bv the board. The Army. Navy and Air Force require 14,000 balaclavas, which the Erovincial councils are being asked to ave knitted according to quota on a population basis. The board has purchased a fair quantity of wool, which is being supplied to patriotic councils direct from the mill. The balaclavas must be knitted to pattern as forwarded to the councils.

DRIVE FOR VOLUNTEERS WHANG All EI ARRANGEMENTS [from our owx correspondent] . WHANGAREI, Tuesday At a meeting of the Whangarei recruiting committee it was reported that consent had now been given by the Post and Telegraph Department to the opening of a recruiting booth in the building the department lately purchased next to the "Whangarei post office. In. connection with the recruiting campaign the High School cadets, now in camp, would march through the town on Friday. Correspondence before the meeting showed that it would not be possible, as had been intended, to stage an- aircraft display at the Whangarei summer show. This display was desired with the view of stimulating recruiting, but- the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, wrote stating that all aircraft were required for training purposes and could not be released for such displays. Disappointment was expressed by the meeting that the scheme had to be abandoned.

10,000 MARK PASSED CENTRAL MILITARY DISTRICT [BY •fELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The 10,000 mark for enlistments in the central military district was reached at midnight on Monday, after approximately 25 weeks' recruiting. Of those medically examined, 6748 have been classified fit, and 4739 sent to camp. The district embraces the Wellington, Hutt, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, Wairarapa and Tarnnaki districts.

MAINTAINING PRODUCTION DAIRY INDUSTRY'S POSITION [from our own correspondent] i HAMILTON, Tuesday The opinion that it would be essential for the Government to consider 6ome scheme for raising land armies if production were to be maintained was exEressed by the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr. t. D. Caro, who presided at a meeting of the South Auckland Zone Patriotic Committee.

Mr. T. G. Reynolds asked the object of having a manpower tribunal under the voluntary system. If an employer sought to prevent an employee going into camp the latter could resign his positipn and register as unemployed. "I think the intention of the Government is to guard essential industries such as dairying, where it is necessary to maintain production so that the Dominion can fulfil its undertakings to Great Britain for the supply of food," Mr. Caro replied. "The tribunal would probably prevent a farmer from being called up until he could be replaced on the farm." Apparently in such cases men would be forced to stay at home, observed Mr. Reynolds. That was conscription and apparently the Government intended conscripting everything but men for the fighting forces.

-ACCOUNTANTS' GIFT

VOTE OF 250 GUINEAS [bt telegraph—press association] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Accountants to-day agreed unanimously that the council of the society be empowered to give 250 guineas to the National War Funds Council. During the Great War the society gave 500 guineas. When a larger gift was suggested to-day it was decided that this question could be considered later, in accordance with circumstances.