THE HOME GUARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23839, 14 December 1940, Page 13

THE HOME GUARD

NEED FOR MONEY GOVERNMENT LIKE CUCKOO WHAKATANE MAYOR'S VIEW [from our own correspondent] AVHAKATANE, Friday A letter requesting some financial assistance, £2O being suggested, in older to give the Whakatane Home Guard central committee something to work 011, was received at a meeting of the Borough Council. 1 lie Mayor, Mr. B. S. Barry, said with regard to the administration of the Home Guard that the Government could be likened to the cuckoo, which laid its egg in another's nest and then expected the other to hatch it. The No. 2A area commander, Major J. H. Herrold, D.5.0., had informed him that a levy was to be made 011 all local bodies in the Botorna area and it appeared to him that the position called for careful handling. It would pay the council to remain wide awake. Mr. Otley favoured an immediate donation on account and the council decided to grant £lO, the sum to be part of any quota.

HAMILTON AREA STRENGTH TOTAL BEACHES 2303 [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday With the addition of 29 further enrolments yesterday, the total strength of the Hamilton unit of the Home Guard is 648 members. Of these 450 attended the parade on the floodlit outer ground at Rugby Park last evening, where platoon and physical drill were carried out by the various companies. The Hamilton area Home Guard strength now stands at 2308, Hamilton Borough contributing 648, Waitomo County, 365, Otorohanga County, 318, Cambridge, 157, Te Kuiti, 100, and other districts their quotas in proportion to their size. PRECAUTIONS SCHEME

POSSIBLE OVERLAPPING [FROM OUR OWN correspondent] WHAKATANE, Friday The call on the services of key men for the operation of the Emergency Precautions Scheme anil the possible conflict with the requirements of the Home Guard was the subject of considerable discussion at the meeting of the Whakatane Emergency Precautions Committee. It was pointed out that the precautions scheme was essentially permanent and covered possible disasters by earthquake, fire, flood, or an epidemic, whereas the Home Guard was for a war contingency only. Mr. L. B. Savage, local commander of the guard, said specialist, or key, men should be enrolled in the Home Guard and their services could be made available to the Emergency Precautions Committee in the event of a natural disaster. The Mayor of Whakatane, Mr. B. S. Barry, chairman of the committee, said the precautions scheme was essential. A situation not connected with hostilities might require it« immediate application. The medical superintendent of the Whakatane Hospital, Dr. E. Tewsley Dawson, announced a scheme for the complete equipmant and operation of a temporary hospital of 75 beds in the event of an emergency. The precautions scheme for the Whakatane borough, compiled by Mr. D. V. Saunders, town clerk, was one of the first approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs and it has since been adopted by other towns. MOTTKT EDEN BRANCH MEETINGS IX SUBURBAN AREAS Organisation of Home Guard units in suburban areas is proceeding apace, and the Mount Eden Home Guard will hold its first parade on Monday night. About 300 guardsmen who have" already enrolled are expected to parade and, led by tha Balmoral Boys' Band, will march from the corner of Dominion and \ alley Roads to the Methodist Church H&I1, Dominion Rood, whors further enrolments will be invited. Meetings in connection with the organisation will bo hold during next week at Takapuna. Penrose. Green Lane, Mount Albert. Whitford, Takanini and Mount Roskill.