AUCKLAND CONFIDENT

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 191, 12 August 1915, Page 6

AUCKLAND CONFIDENT

OF RAISING ITS QUOTA. 4,000 PROBABLY WASTED. NEW RECRUITING METHODS FORESHADOWED. ACCEL/ERATEE DEPARTURE? The statement made by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. James Allen), that between now and December 12.000 additional men will be required from Xew Zealand for strengthening the forces now fighting in (iallipoli indicates one of the biggest recruiting efforts that the Dominion has yet had to make. Upon the Auckland military district probobly will be placed the. onus of rais< ing between 3 r ooo and 4,000 men. Were it not ifor the fact that all along the line more Tecruits have been offering in this province than the Government has been prepared to accept, it would mean that men would have to come forward at the rate of nearly 1,000 a month fn order to make up the required number by the date mentioned by .the Defence Minister, viz.. December 14th. Auckland already hae 'been called upon to provide a larger proportion of men than the Canterbury and Otago districts, so that it will be fairly safe to work on thj aegumption that probably one third of the 12.000 men will be required from this district. As a matter of fact, although no definite information is yet to hand as to the quota that will be required from Auckland, the Defence authorities anticipate that at least one-fourth of the new battalions will have to be raised here, and. with this district's quota towards the 25 per cent reinforcements, the total call upon Anckland will he between 3UOO and 4,000. Thanks to the Teadiness with ■which Tecruits have come forward hi the past. Auckland will be in the fortunate position of having some 800 men in the No. 1 district to call upon even after the 854 men r>a(i • ■will depart in the course of a few days to join the Eighth Keihiorcemeiits have been dispatched. NEEDN'T BANG THE DRUM. (Every confidence is entertained by the local Defence Office as to the prospect* of raising the men in the specified time. Inquiries made by a " Star" representative thie morning elicited the assurance that no shortage is anticipated. On the contrary, it is thought that Anckland will provide an abundance of men to meet the new call of the Imperial authorities. Nor is it considered probable that those responsible for Taisin* recruits will have to resort to spectacularly persuasive measures in order to ensure the full number of men. Happily, Auckland thus far hae been in the proud position of not having to call upon -the recruiting posteT, the public meeting, or any other method of appeal in order to fulfil its obligations. '' We get a minimum amount of efficiency by spouting," said a local officer ifchisimorning, "and we hope to pull through without resorting to those methods." There is also ever? reason to beKeve that there w3l be fewer grounds of complaint on the score ofunfair treatment of men who have signified their willingness to serve their conn? tTy, and who are kept waiting for an indefinite period before they are finally accepted. Of recent months considerable § congestion has) obtained in Anckland, ! partly on account of more men than are immediately required coming forward and i further ■because the winter season has j tended to deplete the number of men ' J who, under ordinary weather conditions, j could be taken into camp. Wh2e the Defence Department is not in a position to give an assurance that the services of offering recruits -wiH be promptly accepted, it is stated that there is ewry

prospect of the rate, of departure for camp being considerably accelerated in the near future. Shnnltaneoneiy with this promise of a more encouraging state of affairs, attention ia again drawn, to *he inadrisaibility of recruits rpfinqaishing their situations until actually eummoned b/ the Department to prepare to go into camp. RECRUITING METOODS. An innovation which may also •big fillip to recruiting is foreshadowed by some observations mado by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. H. Gunion) ■ in the course of an interview with,* "Star" reporter thia morning. Mr. Gunson spoke hopefully of the possibilities of a change in the methods of re*., cruiting in the direction o." the co-opera-tion of civilians with the military depart- i ment in organising this important work. DO DIFFICULTY ANTICIPATED. Asked, as chairman of the Patriotic League, whether he was of opinion that some scheme for encouraging recruiting might be deemed necessary in connection with the new appeal, the Mayop,expressed the view that there could be no doubt ai to the Dominion being able to provide the men, or as to Auckland contributing its quota. "Up to the present tune," stated the Mayor, ''notwithstanding the fact that in May some aspersions were, cast upon Auckland's position in regard to recruiting, there hare been quite a* many men offering aa the Department hat required. There is still a large number, of men who have volunteered and have not been called up. The latest demand means a considerable increase upon thepast numbers, but I am perfectly satis-, fied that the Government will have no difficulty in discharging its undertaking, to the Imperial authorities. If the iuv creased demand now made imposes further obligations upon the officers of the Department, probably the time will qdme in the near future when the Department will find it necessary to avail themselves of the assistance of a Business Recruit-, ing Board, such as has been suggested inthe past. There are two systems of recruiting—registration and direct enlistment. The latter is exceedingly desirable in the interests of the men, but in the past the Department has advised us that it is not posiblc to adopt it. The registration system has placed many of the'men very awkwardly, for, naturally, when once registered, a man is very unsettled and anxious to get away. On the other hand, it is possible tha* the present system offers many advantages to the authorities. Unless the system is changed and direct enlistment adopted, all intending recruits should be very careful in abandoninc their positions until the, Dβ* partment requires them to go into campMany cases have come under my notw* where men have unwittingly thrown up tbc-ir situations without realising tn* position, and have been for some week* walking about doing nothing. Another case where a change, if practicable, would be desirable, is that of many respectable men who arc unemployed, and, haviog enlisted, are anxious to get into oafflß and £0 awaj."