HOME GUARD AND E.P.S.

Southland Times, Issue 24682, 2 March 1942, Page 4

HOME GUARD AND E.P.S.

Transfer Of Men To Be Permitted (P.A.) BLENHEIM, February 28. Contending that the present P osl " tion between the E.P.S. and the Home Guard was unsatisfactory and needed clarification, the Minister of National Service, the Hon. R, Semple, gave ** meeting of the Blenheim E.P.S. last night to understand that before long regulations would be brought forward authorizing the transfer of personnel from one service to the other. _ Mr Semple’s indication was given in the course of an address on the general war situation when he stressed the necessity for a state of preparedness which he considered was not yet fully accomplished. At the moment, he said, it was optional, for those eligible, to join the Home Guard or E.P.S. Many men between 60 and 70 years of age were in the Home Guard while hundreds of younger men, who should be in the Home Guard, were in the E.P.S. or standing by. There was no power vested in anyone to make the transfer of such mea. Mr Semple said the matter had been the subject of conferences between representatives of the Army and the Cabinet with the idea of seeing that all available man power was organized. It had been found that large groups had enlisted in both the Home Guard and the E.P.S. He had thought one of the first jobs of the Home Guard would be to classify these men, but it seemed that a difficulty had arisen. As a result of regulations which would be drafted very shortly, Home Guardsmen could be transferred to the E.P.S. and vice-versa. Mr Semple said that the point had been a very sore one with him for a long time because he knew that men in both organizations had to be trained on the right lines, otherwise the desired efficiency could not be obtained.

“I have seen men of 70 years of age in the Home Guard and men of 20 years of age sneering at them in the streets. That sort of thing has got to stop. I’m sorry to have to say that, but it is true all the same,” he concluded.