HOME GUARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24710, 12 September 1941, Page 4

HOME GUARD

INCORPORATION IN FORCES REGULATIONS GAZETTED LIABILITY FOR TRAINING (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 11. Regulations gazetted to-night give effect to the Government’s decision to incorporate the Home Guard in the defence forces. The regulations under the Defence Act, 1909, are applied to the Home Guard as if it were part, of the territorial force. Similar provision was made with respect to the National Military Reserve, but in the esse of the Home Guard there is a proviso enabling the application of the defence regulations to be excluded or modified by army orders. The existing Home Guard is abolished by the regulations, but there is provision for its members automatically to become members of the reconstituted Home Guard. There is also provision for applications for enrolment by British subjects aver 16 years of age. for the rejection or applications and for the attestation of persons whose applications are accepted. It is stipulated that service in the Home Guard shall not absolve any person from liability for service with any other armed force. Officers of the Home Guard arc to be -appointed in the same way as for other -carts of the defence forces, but they will not exercise military command outside the Home Guard, except as authorised by the officer commanding the military district. Provision for Transfers There is provision for the Adjutantgeneral to arrange for members of the Home Guard to be transferred to other parts of the defence forces (except to the 2nd N.Z.E.F.), or to be discharged. Officers must obtain the consent of the Governor-General before resigning their commissions. Members of the Home Guax'd will be liable to undergo the prescribed ti'aining whenever they ai'e not called up for continuous scr-, vice. There is provision for the impressment of firearms for the Home Guard. The powex-s conferred on the Minister of Defence ai’e substantially the same as those now vested in the Minister of National Service, but in the case of the Home Guard any firearm impressed fi’om the stock in trade of a licensed dealer under the Ax-ms Act will become the property of the Crown, instead of being takexx on loan, and the owner is tq receive compensation agreed upon or fixed by arbitration. Tlie police may search any place, person, or vehicle for any firearm that has been x-equisitioned, but not delivered. and ssize the firearm if found. Any firearm so seized will be treated as if it has been duly delivered in accordance with the regulation. Alternative Service An amendment to the National Service Emergency Regulations gazetted to-night provides that where an appeal against calling up for sex-vice with the Territorial Force is adjourned pending its final determination, a man-power committee may at the time of adjounxment and fx'om time to time thereafter direct that the appellant be transferred to the Home Guard or retransferred from that force to the Territorial Force.