OFFICERS ELECTED

Opunake Times, 17 February 1939, Page 2

OFFICERS ELECTED

niEFENGn LEbTJS ERANCH MORE PUBLIC INTEREST

Greater public support offering at the third goner;;! meeting called on "Wednesday in respect of the formation of an Onunake branch o.t the New ZoaLmd Defence League enabled the organisers to complete the constitution of the new concern, and offi cers were elected. The branch also advanced a further stage the proposals to establish in Opu" nnke an infan fry platoon,, ap plication to this effect being made to the Defence Department authorities.

pqr the preliminary business of the meeting. His Worship the Mayor, Mr. A. J. Brennan,, presided, and briefly reviewed the objects of the league, and the steps taken to establish a local branch.

Officers elected were us fol low:

President: Mr. Geo. Short; secretary; Mr. R. D. Croke; committee: Rev. J. TI, Bailey, Messrs. R. D. Mac Lean, O. W. Williams, Jas. Byars and W. G. Cavaney. After discussing further _ the question of providing mill buy training facilities for the youth of Opunake. the meeting: adopted a proposal by Rev. J. Bailey that the. present position be stated to ihe adjutant of the Ist Taranaki Regiment, and that application be made for permission to establish an in fantry platoon in the town. Speaking fo the. motion. Mr. J. A. Clouston questioned the advisability of making any endeavour to raise the strength of the country’s forces to such an extent that movement towards the re-introduction of compel sorv training would be deferred. If the trained manpower of the nation were allowed to reach so low a level as to impress upon the people the. urgency of the situation, the authorities would be forced to face up to the position and to take the action recommended. Compulsory training, he considered, was the only fair and just method, of building up the defences of the country. Replying to the point, Mr. Brennan said that the league was pledged to use its utmost endeavour towards the establishment of adequate defence forces in New Zealand. While it was recognised that the voluntary svstem of training was not achieving that object, it was the aim of the league to ensure that every possible man received the military instruction necessary for this purpose, and, to ■ this end. the league gave all support and assistance to the volun tary system. It it failed to make some move towards the im movement of existing defences It would be failing in its duty to the people. A further general meeting of

the league is to be held On Wednesday next,, and an invitation has been extended to Defence Department authorities to attend. Subequently, it is hoped to arrange a meeting between officers of the Regiment. and young men of the town willing to recruit for sendee in an infantry unit.