UNIFORMS FOR HOME GUARD
TO THE EDITOR Sir,—Long before the war began to come dangerously close to our own shores, the Home Guard was promised uniforms. It was for just such an eventuality as this that the Home Guard was formed, and this unit is now man - ning many parts of our country’s front line. Not only have the Home Guards men worn out their own clothes in the service of their country, but in spite of the unfair treatment that has been meted out to them, they have displayed in their training a willingness to enthusiasm that are unsurpassed in any other unit. Why have we waited till danger has become imminent? There has been ample time to fulfil these promises regarding proper uniforms. The Minister of Defence stated recently that all that is possible is being done. And yet I understand that' some of our woollen mills are still manufacturing cloth for civilian attire. Is that not a shameful state of affairs? When will the powers that be really waken up to the fact that this is a total war, and that the needs of the armed forces, of which the Home Guard is such an important unit, must have precedence over all other requirements? When the mills are producing military cloths to their maximum weaving capacity on all shifts, then, and then only, can we claim to be making an all-out effort as far as materials are concerned. In the clothing factories I understand the same position applies. By no. means are they utilising their full capacity in the. production of uniforms for the armed forces. How can it be said then that the Home Guard is being put into uniforms “ as fast as we possibly can ”? Such is not the case at present, and it will be to our everlasting disgrace if the making of uniforms is not stepped up immediately to the very limit of pur production capacity. These Comments are made not for the sake of criticism, but in an endeavour to see that the right thing is done by our country and the men who are so willingly helping to defend it.—l am, etc., R. F. R.
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Otago Daily Times, Issue 24854, 2 March 1942, Page 6
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364UNIFORMS FOR HOME GUARD Otago Daily Times, Issue 24854, 2 March 1942, Page 6
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