LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 154, 5 August 1914, Page 8

LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

THE DOMINION ORGANISATION. Press Association. AUCKLAND, August 4. In response to its offer to mobilise immediately if it is required, the Legion of Frontiersmen has received the following telegram from the Prime Minister:—"Many thanks for offer. ; Will communicate with you at once in the event of services being required." There are eight squadrons of the Legion in the North Island, and a large number of unattached men, the strength for the island being about 1200. These are 'divided into classes, those available for,;service; abroad and those available for-New Zealand defence only. ■ The members of the Legion are seasoned men, familiar with frontier work, and according to the rules of their order they provide their own uniforms, arms, and equipment. The total strength throughout the Empire is now just on 10,000 men. The terms of the Legion's arrangement with the War Office provide that in the event of war the Legion passes under the control of the War Office if required, and consequently a War Office mobilisation order would mean that New Zealand members on the service-abroad list would be called to the colours irrespective of the ex-, peditionary forces organised by the Defence authorities . of the oversea dominions. A .very large proportion of the Legionaries are men who have experienced service campaigns. The Legion's staff-officer for New Zealand states that telegrams from all over tne Dominion are continually arriving at Auckland from members anxious to get to the front, and men are coming into the city from outlying districts to offer their seryices. Telegrams have come from Westland, Central Otago,' Marlborough, and Nelson in the South Island, and from all sorts of remote places in the North Island. In the North Island men are offering their services in whole squadrons. This afternoon-~a large number gathered in Auckland, eagerly seeking a chance to get away to the scene of action. Cablegrams were dispatched to the Com-mandant-General of Legions, Lieuten-ant-Colonel Driscoll, D.5.0., in London, stating that the men here are ready for the call and praying for a chance to go ,to the front should war be declared. The Waitemata troop volunteered in a body, not one man being willing to stay behind. Yesterday a Poverty Bay squadron of about seventy men, the most powerful and best-equipped of the established squadrons, telegraphed to the Government offering to embark fully armed for service within twenty-four hours. Organisation work only commenced to make headway in New Zealand some eighteen months ago, and it says a good deal for the spirit of New Zealanders that there should be so many recruits. The great difficulty has been the obtaining of rifles, as the Government had none for sale, and the men have been obliged to get them m England at a cost of £5 each. It is hoped that the Government will aid the Legion to the extent of a few rifles. The Legion is part of the national defence reserve, and, therefore, expects if not called by the War Office to have the opportunity of sending .at least two squadrons with the New Zealand expeditionary force. Immediately word is received a mobilisation will be ordered, the officers commanding squadrons, troops, and sub-units and the organisera in charge of districts being communicated with by urgent telegram.