INLIST AT ONCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 2

INLIST AT ONCE.

:'___ - THE.FIT.AW_ FBEE. ■~ PKEME 'MINISTER'S APPEAL. ? (By Telegraph.—Press-Association.) ■ r .i . --,---. WELLINGTON, this day. -Mr Massey. as chairman of the Kecruitjng.J36ard, has issued an appeal to men tosnlist.- He says.-that soldiers are Other sen-ices are important, but. no service under existing circumstances can take tlie place of nrilitaryLservice. _We:have reached the stage whfn nothing matters except whirring'in the great-war ift which we are engaged, and which means everything to us. To every- man physically fit- and free Iris duty is clear; Let him follow the example of the 50,000 gallant New Zealanders who have already taken up arms, and he will never regret, it. The moment has - come forthose to whom enlistment is not. absolutely impossible to choose between duty and honour on one side: and the ignoring of both on the .other, -,F6r_ such men who are patriotic'-and- loyal there is only one course open —that-- is, to decide for the right and enlist' at once. - S_ajTE_rENT BY.WTXKISTEB. yOLL^^AU^sk.OR^CONSCRIPTION.

t . (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) 8 ..... . "j,; - this da - Addressing a meeting composed. of. laities and gerrtlemeri erf _the local Patriotic CommH>tee-a3r4-njembers of the Coimtv and Borough Councils in the Win mgarei Municipal Chambers last night; the Hon. W.H. Herries (Minister of Railways), by request of the Recruiting :Board, gave an instructive address f avou ring' the" methods to be adopted by local.'.cornroitte.es in assisting recruiting. The ~3-fillister" said that, although the matter was fully outlined.in the circular sent out-bv the Recruiting Board, some misappr eheusion seemed to exist as to the exact.couyse to pursue. Rolls containing the.names ofjnen of_:military age,_ compiled from, registration cards, had been issued to- local committees, and great assistance could he given in checking these rtim?s by-j say, the electoral or other rolls,-to see who was eligible, if all had been..accounted..for, and what number could .be Telied upon to go when called upon", as weir air those" -Who should: not positE/ely. refused to go. He understood this ta sfc would-be easy, as in the North there were veryfeweligible'men left. The Recruiting Board comprised three of the most capable men in New Zealand. It had decided >fet. tie voluntary system should be given a further trial. It was only by civilian assistance of local bodies, thoroughVy conversant with local conditions, that-.an estimate of the Dominion's resources qould be arrived at; bnt.Cabi-l net was determined that if the voluntary system faili?d, we must resort to some form of compulsion to carry out our engagements tn the Old . Cormtry. Therefore, before .adopting conscription, local committees were asked to get intimate knowledge of men mrfitary age available.. Only a local_ committee could do this- by -checking .rolls -ad by personal canvass. Such infoTnrafion would be forwarded te-thecerifral committee in Wellington. 1 n the matter of personal canvassing, - "discretiorrary powers would be exercised as to the most suitable men for this purpose. Either voluntarily or by compulsion. Row Zealand would provide the ..quota- of men she was engaged to provide. In this statement he had. the backing of the whole of the I>qminion.