DEFENCE UNIT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21216, 10 December 1938, Page 4

DEFENCE UNIT

Formed at Pleasant ‘ Point Machine Gun Section As the result of an invitation received from the members of the Pleasant Point Young Farmers’ Club a party of Officers of the Support Company of the Ist Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, visited a meeting of the Club which was held in the Pleasant Point Town Hall, on Wednesday evening last. The visiting party, consisting of Major G. R. Lee, Captain J. Grant, Second-Lieutenant D. Bell and Ser-geant-Major Halkett W.0., was met by the president and secretary of the Club and after introductions Major Lee delivered an address on the New Zealand Territorial Force. In outlining the terms of service. Major Lee said that each member of the Territorial Force was required to carry out a certain minimum training in each military year which commencjed on June 1. This minimum training was required to be carried out before I the trainee could be classified as | efficient for the year and consisted of eight days home training, a total of 48 hours, made up by means of whole day or half-day parades and evening drills. Most units were carrying out much more than this minimum train- 1 ing in order to allow men who joined late in the year to become efficient and to allow men who were unavoidably absent from parade: to catch up. These extra parades were attended by the men for the good of the unit. Remuneration was given at the rate of 7'- per day for the first eight whole days or 48 hours. In addition to the eight days home training attendance at the annual camp was necessary before a trainee could be classed as efficient for any year. A trainee received £4/6/- in payment for the annual camp. A further source of interest and training lay In the courses each of a ■ week’s duration held at the Bumham ! District School of Instruction. Pav of ' rank was granted for one attendance ' each year and all members of the Force were encouraged to attend. Major Lee I 1 concluded this portion of his address by • saying that few young men in this | community would really find the above i service a heavy responsibility and almost everyone could, if they really I wanted to. find the necessary time. Work Up-to-Date In response to a question Major Lee explained that the work done by all | members of the Territorial Force was I very up-to-date. Examples of training manuals in use and photos of groups of men at work were displayed and I it was demonstrated that the New : Zealand units were trained and equip- ; ped in exactly the same manner as i were units of the Regular Army and ' Territorial Force at home in England, i using the same weapons, organisation ( ! and manuals. During the supper interval enlist- I ment forms were distributed and a • number of young men present volun- * teered for service in the new machine j gun unit, which is being formed at I Pleasant Point, to be known as the I I Pleasant Point Young Farmers’ Club ' | section. This club is the largest Young 1 ; Farmers’ Club in the South Island and I ; is most efficiently run. It will be the • first Club in the district to sponsor its j own unit ia the New Zealand TerriI torial Force, and Its members will recruit the whole group of 16 men and maintain them at this figure. I In replying on behalf of the visiting ' officers to a vote of thanks. Major Lee : congratulated the Clu’’ on the splendid response which they had made that evening to what was really a public duty in the same way as membership of a County or Borough Council. He had been particularly impressed with the stand..rd of young man who had enlisted that night and felt that the men were the right type, who would eventually become the officers and i.oncommissioned officers of any future force raised for the defence of New Zealand. Type plus peace time training seemed to 1 . the defence policy in New Zealand at the moment.