"GET TOGETHER”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1941, Page 3

"GET TOGETHER”

(Continued from page (1.)

THREE BRANCHES. Mr Norman Loo: "The Home Guard, i E.P.S. and Women’s .Auxiliary arc the > three branches of the Emergency ■ Corps. There is no committee of the ’ Emergency Corps. That is what you , want to establish.” Mr Jordan: "That's so." Mr H. J. Brass said the functions of the Horne Guard and E.P.S. scheme should be explained to the men. The whole organisation should be referred to as the Emergency Corps, and the Home Guard and E.P.S. as sections of it. ’ Mr Jordan: "I wanted to say that on • Sunday and was going to do it. but I did not get a chance." Mr Brass: "It is through ignorance of i i the position that misunderstanding arises." Mr W. R. Birch (area commander): "Is the training entirely in the hands of the committee?” Mr Jordan: "I would not say that. The training is in the hands of the instructors." Mr W. L. Butler: "The Home Guard is designed as the first line of defence?" Mr Jordan: “No. It is a reserve for the Territorials." Mr Birch: "Major-General Young told me that the Home Guard would be the first men used to stop an inva-

Mr W. R. Birch (area commander): "Is the training entirely in the hands of the committee?” Mr Jordan: "I would not say that. The training is in the hands of the instructors." Mr W. L. Butler: "The Home Guard is designed as the first line of defence?" Mr Jordan: "No. It is a reserve for the Territorials." Mr Birch: "Major-General Young told me that the Home Guard would be the first men used to stop an invasion by holding up the enemy until they were relieved by the Territorials." Mr Butler maintained that men required for service as special constables should be trained by the E.P.S. and not the Home Guarci as if they were i taken from the latter they would weaken their shock troops. Mr Jordan: "The E.P.S. men are not attested. Special constables will be required at once and must be attested." Mr Kemp: "I would like to know exactly how this proposal will help you in a position like that on Sunday. If we form an executive of five, would that have given you control over a meeting like last Sunday’s?" Mr J. C. Cooper: "That is what I I want to know." I SUNDAY’S PARADE. Referring to Sunday's parade. Mr Jordan said he had been approached, not by the Ministers’ .Association, but; by some of the men. who thought they I should have been asked about the . holding of Sunday parades and he sug- [ gested that a vote should be taken. It i was then suggested that the vote of | the Home Guard and E.P.S. should be ' taken independently, but he objected to that, as he regarded the whole show i ias one. which should work as one. I "That caused friction," said Mr Jor-| dan. "Up to that stage it was a very) happy gathering. Suddenly everything J went and the men were? ordered out) on parade. 1 did not order the men to remain. 1 said ‘please, just a minute’." Mi- Jordan added that he did not want to start a riot, so he left the ground and wont home. The figures of voting published in the paper were not cor-' reel; no vote was taken in one company separately. "1 think the officer commanding thought I was trying to] interfere with his command." said Mr] Jordan. "I never had the slightest in-i tention of interfering with anyone, I wanted to help; that is all I endeavoured to do." Referring to the proposed executive, he said the actual training of the mon was a matter for the I instructors’.

Mr Birch said that in other areas in the Wairarapa the local Home Guard committees had done excellent work in recruiting and their assistance had been of great help.

WORKING TOGETHER.

Mr J. Robertson, MB. said it was a great pity to hoar talk of sides in the two organisations. He went on to state that the E.P.S. organisation was set up before war was declared to meet any possible national emergency. After the outbreak of war it was decided to set up the Home Guard. The E.P.S. section was intended to deal with the civil population, something akin to a salvage corps and the Home Guard for ! duties of a more military nature. In I the event of an emergency they would | be placed under military command and; i become part of the regular forces. The* two organisations should tVork proper- | !y together but should carry on in their i own way as far as training was con- | cerned. though there should be co-ord-i ination. Mr G I). Wilson held that there| should be no difference in the declare-[ tion mode by the Home Guard ami lhei E.P.S. The oath should be taken by both. Mr Jordan said the Government had power under regulations to incorporate the Home Guard in ‘.he defence "1 am told that will be done," ob-1 served Mr Birch. E.P.S. MEN & DRILL. 1 1 In the course of further discussion it ' was stated that many men enrolled in I the E P S. were willing ami anxious to , drill ami they should be given every : encouragement. Mr Jordan said it was’ ■ a matter for the men themselves to < decide though it would be better fur ; ’hern if they did attend parades | Mr Wilson who expressed the view i ’hat the whole organisation should be j placed under military control, moved : that it committee ..f live, two members I from the EPS tw< from the Home’ Guard am! one from the Women’s' ■ Auxiliary should be -et up ■ This was seconded by Mr Cooper’ ami carried unanimously. Messrs Jordan ami R E Gordon Lee ' j were appointed the E P S reprcsenta-1 j lives Mr Vivian Donald ns nn of thej I Home Guard r*‘prv eutalives. the I Home Guard *-> be .-eked !.i appoint the' : other member and th.- Wotm-t-', au.j, | iary t«> appoint .it ; repiesemativc. Mr George Bre-.e • tweed ’hat a re-’ l commendation be mode \<> th<- G<>vem-j me) t that the Hoi; Guard am! EPS , j lie pm under one organisation, but on, the ugpstimi of Mr Jordan hr agreed! to leave tile matter over until the c»J : m-dinatmt; cnrnrmt'w had had a chanct J to sec if it could midtc a job • < .! ’