MOUNTED RIFLES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21167, 17 July 1940, Page 4

MOUNTED RIFLES

HOME DEFENCE UNITS NINE SQUADRONS WANTED (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday l; Cabinet approval of the formation ] of nine independent squadrons ot ; mounted rifles for home defence was ] announced by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. These i squadrons will assist units of the ! ] Territorial Force in the defence ot ! ; New Zealand should the need arise. ’ ; The units will represent localities j ; from Whangarei to Otago. “Recruiting is to be confined to ! men whose occupations fit them for I the particular task for which they '■ would be required,” said Mr Jones. '■ ; “Units are to be formed in the fol- | ; lowing localities:—No. 1 squadron, \ the area north of Whangarei; No. 2 : squadron, the area north of a line j from the Whangaparaoa Peninsula to ; Helensville, and south of a line from j Whangarei to Dargaville; No. 3 i squadron, the Coromandel Peninsula S and the Hauraki Plains; No. 4 squad- j ron, the area between East Cape and i Gisborne; No. 5 squadron, the area east and west of the Tararua Ranges south of a line from Herbertville to Palmerston North; No. 6 squadron, Marlborough; No. 7 squadron, Nelson; No. 8 squadron, Banks Peninsula; No. 9 squadron, the Dunedin district. Limits To Recruiting “Recruiting for these squadrons will be opened at an early date,” continued Mr Jones. “In the meantime, men of the following classes in the areas specified are invited to register their names at their nearest defence offices:—Returned soldiers, ex-territorials, members of rifle clubs and deer-stalkers. Recruiting will be limited to married men between the ages of 25 and 55, and unmarried men between the ages of 45 and 55. “Any man offering his services must be in possession of a suitable horse and saddlery. Arrangements regarding the strength of the organisation and the exact location of these ; squadrons and the troops necessary ' to form them are being made, and a ! further announcement and detailed i instructions to intending recruits will \ be issued later.” j