A BOMBSHELL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24783, 6 December 1941, Page 8

A BOMBSHELL

PEf ROL FOrV HOME' GUARI> ALL LICENCES CALLED IN, AN IMMEDIATE PROTEST (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Dec. '5. A bombshell ahnouncementjcalling in all petrol licences on issue,to memoers has been received by every Horn* Guard headquarters in New The licences have" been usetf *o;&fltos? port■; to' and and exercises which otherwise could not have been held, and as a result of. the new order, which it is understood is- the result of a decision by the War Cabinet, all ordinary training,parades of this type will have to be suspended. The country districts are the ones most seriously affected. 1 ;_ - ' . Faced with the cessation of practically the whole of their training programme, the Auckland District Home Guard authorities made strenuous efforts to-day to have the decision reviewed. As the result of these efforts some hope was felt late in the day that a modification might be effected to the order. The district director of the Home Guard,: Colonel M. Aldred, who has actively interested himself in the matter, said .He;was not permitted to make any statement, but at the same time he was very seriously perturbed about the whole position. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr J. AC. Allum) was asked if he had taken .put. in the He said he had been in touch with the. Minister oi Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan; who had stated that as the result' of. representations which had been, made .about the Home Guard's position he would ask the War Cabinet to re-examine the question. Tne territorial force, the National Military Reserve and the Home Guard would be affected equally. It appears, however, that the order applies only, to- licences on\ issue to private owners who'have used their cars for the benefit of their defence units and not to array vehicles. The Home Guard is the force principally affected, because it- has no army vehicles at its disposal for training pur* poses. It has apparently been informed that the order is the result of a decision .that a -reduction in petrol consumption is urgently; necessary this month, and to this extent the order is taken to;be of a temporary nature, although its immediate effects: upon training are stated *o be none the JeSa severe because of that.