THE RECRUITING SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 5

THE RECRUITING SCHEME.

HOW AUCKLAND WILL APPLY IT. CITY STATION TO OPEN." POSTERS AND RECRUITING SERGEANTS. "Are you ready? Are you willing? To Serve your King and country for a shilling ;•• A return to the.old-time, method of recruiting is foreshadowed by" the result of yesterday.afternoon's first meeting of the City Recruiting-Committee, and the fact that in future the big poster, the brightly-adorned and illuminated recruiting office, and the stahyart recruiting sergeant offering the King's shilling, or its New Zealand counterpart, are to be largely relied upon, implies -that Auckland is beginning to realise the importance of. advertising in connection with the recruiting campaign. So far the view has been held —notwithstanding the fact that, advertising by banner, poster, and military display has been one of the most important factors in the campaign at Home—that I ordinary business methods in "pushing" I the recruiting movement is incompatible with the colonial temperament, but at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Auckland committee, after-the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) had reported on the .result of a conference he had had with Colonel Hume, officer commanding the Auckland district", it was decided forthwith to open a recruiting office in the busiest part of the town. The station.will be in Victoria Street.West, and will have a. frontage, to. Queen Street, and is to be immediately erected. It-will be-about 40ft long and 14ft wide, and will be divided into offices for the use -of- the recruiting officers and the, medical-board: The station is expected! to be completed by Saturday, and the military[authorities'will enter;into posj session the same; day or ;pn;'J-tondajjy*'The' facade of th_ building, the meeting decided, will be - decorated by recruiting posters-issued by the Government, while others will be hung across Queen Streel At night the office will be' brightly illuminated'to attract attention. , -;•

It is proposed to keep the station open throughout the day and until fairly late in the evening.'Returned-soldiers-.will-be appointed recruiting sergeants, and will be in- attendance -throughout the day and night, -arid*--teams' of -about -four will operate from the station in securing enlistments

The meeting decided to appoint Mr. G. R. Hogan, City Returning Officer, secretary, and a'sub-committee' compris-irig-the Mayor- H.D. Heather, R7-T. Michaels, G. Baildon, and-E. Davis was elected to arrange the organisation of the. first week in conjunction with the military authorities.

.The committee strongly, took, the view that as an additional inducement to enlistment", "tiie "GToverffiiient "should ■ introduce a system, of direct enlistment, and telegraphed the following resolution to the Prime Minister and the' Minister for in the interests of-the recruiting movement ..in Auckland, .this committee most strongly urges upoir'the Government the imperative necessity; of providing facilities for men into camp immediately upon- enlistment."^