NATIONAL DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 8

NATIONAL DEFENCE

PUBLIC WORKS MACHINES CREATING TRENCHES AND FORTS (By Telegram.—Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday Engines which can make trenches, forts and roads overnight are among the resources which the Public Works Department can utilise in the defence of New Zealand, according to the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, who arrived at New Plymouth last night to inspect the municipal airport. The Minister said that when he returned to Wellington he would discuss with his colleagues a scheme for a detailed plan of organisation which could be put into opera- ‘ tion in the event of an emergency. Referring to his statement about the share the 2 4,000 employees of his department could take in the defence of the Dominion, Mr Semple said the job now was to organise them, and he intended to discuss the question with his colleagues. He had already mentioned it to the Prime Minister. With their huge machines, they could build fortifications in days, when it would have taken weeks with the old equipment. Experts from the firms which made the mechanical devices had told him that the department's men were the best operators of the plant in the world. MEN IN RESERVE ENLISTMENT SYSTEM MINISTER’S EXPLANATION (By Telegraph. —Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday The advantage of allowing the military districts to recruit up to 25 per cent over the establishment figures for any arm of the Territorial Force was referred to by the Minister of Defence, the lion. F. Jones, in a:i interview to-night. He said authority for this to be done hud been given som’e months ago. The Minister said the object in accepting recruits above the normal strength was to provide for cases where units had a waiting list. Instead of keeping prospective recruits waiting until vacancies occurred, they were enlisted for training, and, to all intents and purposes, were members of the unit concerned. This obviated the necessity of rejecting recruits and provided a pool of partly-trained men, who stepped into the vacancies in the units resulting from transfers of territorials and other causes. RECRUITING CAMPAIGN AUCKLAND ARRANGEMENTS (Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Saturday The official launching of the Mayor’s campaign for the enrolment of 1000 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 35 years to raise Auckland’s territorial army to its peace establishment strength, will take place on Monday. Parades and displays will take place during the period. There will also be formation flights over-the city, a tour of the various recruiting depots by a motor-cycle platoon, and a parade of territorials through Queen Street on Friday night. A request is to be made to the naval authorities lor a daytime naval parade through the city. Establishment of recruiting depots in the city areas was approved.