VOLUNTARY RESULTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 7 January 1916, Page 5

VOLUNTARY RESULTS.

SPLENDID EARLY- RESPONSE.

FULL, FAIR TRIAL GIVEN.

UNEQUAL TO HUGE DEMANDS.

KITCHENER'S REVIEW.

LONDON, January,-. Earl Kitchener, continuing his review of voluntary results in the House o; Lords, said:— "• ■

"I must say that this system has given results far greater than,most of us dared to predict—certainly beyond anything our enemies contemplated. Men in the early stages of the war responded to the call in almost embarrassing thousands, and a steady flow of recruits was maintained until' a few months ago, giving us men inWβ, large numbers as we could train and equip. "It is now necessary to keep up the large army we now poieess by:&■ constant supply of reservesVto replenish;the wastage of war. Recently, however, the numbers of voluntary" ceased to ensure the full provision of necessary trained reserves. :It is essential redeem Mr. Asquith's pledge in order to maintain the voluntary principle as regards the service of married men in the future. "Personally I had always hoped that we would be able to finish the war successfully .without changing the - system which has done'so well and given us such splendid ma-terial as the soldiers now fighting in. the different theatres of war; . But I do not consider that the proposed change should:be regarded in the light of any derogation of the principle of voluntary service. It only affects during the period of the war one class of men,, amongst whom there are undoubtedly a certain number who have but a poor idea of their duties as citizens, and who require some"persuasion, greater than an appeal > to-bring them to the colours. . ...... -....■ :'.-.-; AN ARMY TO SECURE VICTORY. "Whilst there are - some . shirkers in this class; there "arc doubtless'many whose" reasons for not joining will be found valid. lam far from wishing it to be thought that, all to whom the new proposals apply can be described as shirkers. Many of them probably have conflicting calls upon them, 'and they Willie only too happy that the Government should resolve-their doubts, which they .are -unable to decide- themselves. "In making "these remarks; I speak as a soldierj ~Tv; i th.!a. single eye'to .the successful conduct of :the.:.wsr:: : I'feel' sure that everyone will agree that there has been the-fullest and'fairest-triar of the sy3tem lifound in iof which I felt it tojje my duty to" make* the best" use. The Government; is r now asking Parliament to sanctions Hthejx change which has been-proposed in-the special circumstances of this utterly' unprecedented struggled The existing'system, without , modifications,-, ishuhequal to maintaining the army" needed to secure victory." "; "."• . ■- } SHOULD EXCITE NO DISUNION. EarlCrewe said tfiat '..theTfect- that a number; qf.'u c nmarried.,men,;had not attested'was due, to an-imperfect realisation of the situation, rather: than to a deliberate-refusal to : Help the country. The" present proposals' ought-to excite no disunion, either- in Parliament" the During: iihe'conjing' year the most stupendous-exertions-must, be made; by -the Allies' if they,:were to secure that complete victory which they had .every Reason to belieyeTwould -be theirs.' --■ :" . ...".-: ■.., ■