The Putaruru Press PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY PHONE 28 P.O. BOX 44 OFFICE OXFORD PLACE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1941 HOME GUARD TROUBLES

Putaruru Press, Volume XVI, Issue 956, 13 November 1941, Page 4

The Putaruru Press PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY PHONE 28 P.O. BOX 44 OFFICE OXFORD PLACE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1941 HOME GUARD TROUBLES

IT is regrettable that in several centres in New Zealand publicised trouble has arisen in regard to the training of the Home 'Guard. In most of the cases there appears to have been little or no justification for the drastic steps taken toy disaffected persons or for the paucity of memmers attendng parades. In this connection a lead might be taken from the pronouncement of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, which has consistently urged delegates to Dominion Council meetings to use their utmost endeavours to stabilise public opinion with the object of securing the co-operation of all sections of the community and the prevention of any serious disunity. At the most-recent conference it was held that the serious nature of the war situation demanded this unity and that if New Zealand’s war effort was not to be impeded all sections must pull together in united effort. .

Coming from such a source, the above opinion should carry sufficient weight to secure immediate improvement throughout New Zealand. Two of the most-frequent causes of complaint are lack of equipment and lack of interest. In regard to the first it is common knowledge that the shortage of equipment is world-wide and covers front-line troops wherever situated. Thus it ia only to be expected that the Home Guard cannot be served until the front-line soldier is fully equipped, and the fact that two returned soldiers in the Hon. J. G. Coates and the Hon. W. Perry (president of the. New Zealand Returned Services’ Association) are in the War Cabinet, and are satisfied, should be sufficient guarantee that everything possible is being done by the Government in this direction.

Regarding the lack of interest, this is a matter which cuts both ways and cannot be wholly laid on the shoulders of Guardsmen by any means. It is a paramount duty of officers of the Guard to be creative in the execution of their commands, and so retain the interest of Guardsmen, and not to sit back and complain ' because equipment of some kind or other has not come to hand or of lack of interest. It has been proved that where officers of the Guard have so viewed their responsibilities, and have laid themselves out to bring into being a creative syllabus, even improvising gear if necessary, and also promoting the social side, and all the time remembering that the men under them are volunteers, there has been no great difficulty and the men have responded nearly one hundred per centum. Indeed, in view of the unavoidable circumstances which have pertained since the Home Guard was formed, the position has in reality been in the nature of a test of the fitness of the more-highly-placed Home Guard officers for their commands, for it has been essential that imagination and creative genius should be used to keep this very necessary force in being. This is no mere assertion but is a statement based on actual experience, as instanced in the Matamata district. The same problems had to be overcome here as have apparently proved insurmountable in other districts, yet these have been tackled in such a patriotic and imaginative manner that parades throughout and be it remembered that the Matamata Home Guard (originally the Defence Company) is the oldest in New Zealand have been attended in an entirely-satisfactory manner if allowance is made for the genuine known absentee. This is a record of which officers and men may be exceedingly proud. It proves that the former are fit to lead and it proves that the latter are eager to be i od, provided the leadership is there, it is such spirit which inspires troops to great deeds. Without it the . best of men become little m: ■ than j a rabble. Matamata has given New 1 aland a lead. Its residents are no different from those of other centres. 1 ,-aders in other areas might do worse than consider the reasons for

the success attained in handling Guardsmen in the area covered by the Tamehana . (Matamata) Battalion.