RECRUITS WANTED

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 63, Issue 4463, 13 August 1941, Page 4

RECRUITS WANTED

te awamutu home guard ‘ AND E.P.O.

CANVASSING CAMPAIGN. A largely attended and representative meeting of citizens was held in the Waipa County Offices last night, when Mr H. C. Rainoiy presided. Mr 1. Grant read the circular convening the meeting as follows: “ Local bodies have been charged with the responsibility nf attending in a state of emergency to all matters affecting the welfare of the civilian population; also with the enrolling of the Home Guard. A state of emergency ’may arise through flooding, earthquake, or such like, but to-day we must not exclude the potential danger from enemy action. A Central Executive comprising representatives of the Te Awamutu Borough Council, the Waipa County Council, and other organisations has been in existence .for some considerable time, and is supported by Controllers and Committee's responsible for the organising of Transport, Law and Order, Supplies, Medical and Public Health, Accommodation, Evacuation, Communications, Utilitv and Essential Services and Farming (Rural Section). “ It is now desired to increase the enrolments in both the Home Guard and the E.P.S., and to accomplish this a strong Committee has been set up to make a complete canvass of the town. Accompanying this let ter is a Schedule which householders are requested to fill in within TWO days at the .expiry of which a member of the Committee will collect the same and leave enrolment forms if needed. “ The Central Executive through its Sub-Committees seeks and appeals for the whole-hearted co-operation of residents of the Borough not only in the matter of the completion of the Schedules immediately, but also in the enroTing in one or oster of the• organisations referred to. In a state of emergency there would be a job for all. “ The majority of the rural localities under the jurisdiction of the Executive have been well organised both in respect of enrolments in the Home Guard and E.P.S., but it is felt that before the combined district Scheme can be completed a comparable effort must be made in Te Awamutu and suburbs thereof.” A general discussion ensued, the opinion being unanimous that a thorough canvas should be undertaken. Mr Brian Malone emphasised that youths from 16 years of age were eligible to join. Many of them were strong and healthy, and were quite capable of being trained. The chairman hoped that later on it would be possible to put on a worthwhile demonstration in Te AwamutuCANVASSERS APPOINTED. Subsequently canvassers were appointed to canvas the town as follows: Pakura Street, Messrs R. C. Thompson and M. Williams; Raeburn Street and Paterangi Road, Messrs Bert Andrew and F. Clark; Leith and Goodfellow Street (North): Messrs L. Holmes and J. Fleming; College Street: Messrs F. Miller and another; Mutu, Mahoe, and TaWhiao Streets: Messrs L. A. Johnston and B. Malone; Mangapiko and Wynyard Streets and Racecourse Road: Messrs C. J. Spiers and A. L. Furness; Rewi Street and Frontier Road: Messrs V. A- de Coek and H. Brill; Teasdale Street and Wallace Terrace: Mr H. P. Ensor and another; Bank Street, Puniu Rd., and Bridgman’s Road: Messrs F. Friedlander and C. J. Morrison; Young Street, Fraser Street, and Carlton Streets and Raikes’ Avenue: Messrs H. C. Rainey and W. J. North; Park Road: Messrs A. H. Laybourn and A. R. Hill; Alexandra Street: Messrs S. Wanklyn, H. C. Date, and Williamson; Mahoe and Arawata Streets: Messrs S. Dowds and A. E. Law; Hairini-Camfbridge Road and Ohaupo Road: Messrs R. Baillie and R. H. Westbrooke; Cemetery and Bond’s Roads: Messrs G. S. Clarke and J. O. Penman; Laurie and Goodfellow Sts. (South): Messrs A. Tailbyand Graham Macky; Palmer, Jackson, Brady, and Roche Streets: Messrs F. Parsons and R. W. Kihikihi Road to Borough boundary: Messrs E. Dodd and W. Foggin. It was decided to post out the schedules on Monday next, the! canvassers to call and collect them a few days later. Messrs Barnett, Rainey, and Dowds undertook to assist with the task of summarising the schedules on completion of the canvas.

EMPHATIC DENIAL. NO INTENTION TO DISRUPT. CO-ORDINATION SOUGHT. When the letter inviting representatives of the Borough Council to attend last night’s meeting was read at Monday night’s meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough Council, Cr V. A. de Coek immediately rose and stated that the previous meeting had been convened with the distinct purpose in view of canvassing for members of both the Holme Guard and Emergency Precautions Organisation. The Home Guard aspect had been under consideration by the Te Awamutu Home Guard Committee. He trusted that there would be no conflict between the bodies’. When he and the secretary had interviewed Mr Grant and Mr Graham Macky, it seemed to them as if they Were treading on the corns of the Waipa Committee; it seemed as if an impression had been created that they (the Te Awamutu Committee) were trying to disrupt them. Let me say at once and most emphatically that we are not trying to disrupt them. That is the last thing we sought,” continued Cr de Coek. ‘Our sole idea,” he added, “was to co-ordinate the efforts of the two loca] Committees to see that the Home Guard is functioning 100 per cent. The Corr<mittee has been ignored and that is why a wrong impression has been

created. The Committee has not functioned as it should have done. As Council representative, if I cannot see it functioning 100 per cent, I will, as one of your representatives, come and tell the Council.”

“ It id perfectly incorrect,” concluded Cr de Coek, *’ to say that our idea is to disrupt. Any such suggestions should be treated with the scorn they deserve. Our object is to co-ordinate our efforts. We contend that there are many matters upon which the Te Awamutu Committee should have been consulted.”

The Mayor said that since’ the Te Awamutu Home Guard Committee had its origin, at a public meeting, it still continued to function. The regulations placed great importance on the Committee. Any talk of disruption was not warranted.

Cr A. R. Hill endorsed the remarks of Cr de Coek. Cr G. Dalton said that all the builders in Te Awamutu had been incorporated in the Waikato Builders’ Association, so ia.s to act in unison with Hamilton if an emergenev did happen, to repair buildings etc. He krtfew that the local Fire Brigade were coaching auxiliary men to “ do their bit.” Cr C. J. Spiers said the meeting was merely “ beating around the bush.” The Te Awamutu Committee wlas still functioning, but only in the matter of securing recruits, etc. Once the men were in the Guard the Committee’s control ceased. Then again the Committee appointed by the Waipa County Council and Te Awamutu Boroup’h Council controlled the finances. However, he did realise that arrangements made were capsized nearly every month by new regulations. Still, he thought the Te Awamutu Committee should continue to function in the matter of recruiting. Concluding the discussion, the Mayor said that Cr de Coek and he himself had been appointed to represent the Council on the Te Awamutu Committee. The choice of Cr de Cbek was a good one, but he, as Mayor, felt that he was mixed up in all sorts of things and it was, therefore, difficult for him to report back to the Council. He desired, therefore, to tender his resignation, and suggested that Cr Olsen be elected in his place. The Council adopted the suggestion and Ci’ Olsen was appointed to the Committee.