MEN WANTED URGENTLY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15452, 3 December 1915, Page 7

MEN WANTED URGENTLY.

♦ ; APPEAL BY THE defence DEPARTMENT. SHORTAGE IN THE ELEVENTH REINFORCEMENTS. A THOUSAND RKG 1 STRATI ON S N KEDKY) AT ONCE. SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IF ARRANGEMENTS ARE UPSET. (specia:. to '-the press.") ."WELLINGTON, December 2. An urgent appeal was issued by tho Defence authorities to-day for the balance of the mm required for the nfantry for the 11th Reinforcements. The portion, it is stated, is giving them grave concern, because if the men are not raised immediately, the matter will be serious. It has been represented that the reason for the present hanging back is that eligible men did not wish to spend tho Christinas and New Year holidays in camp, but, if this is true, it is considered that it can only be duo to tho fniluic cf New Zealand's manhood to understand tho urgency of the call.

. Tho statement proceeds:— "Ono thousand men aro wanted to register at once to make up the . COO that aro required as tic balance of the infantry for the Eleventh Reinforcements going into camp on December 14th. If these men- arc not forthcoming at the required date, it ivill mean that NewZealand, for tho first time, has failed to fulfil tho definite pledge given to the Imperial Government, and more than that, ♦o will have failed in our duty to our own force in tho field by not maintaining them at the full strength required.

• y, keen suggested that the ■; numbers might easily be made up after Christmas. So they might, but that involves serious consequences. If tho draft is to receive the full period of training arranged for, it follows that it will depart at a later date. That, in other words, means that tho men will arrive at tho front behind tho duo time, with what conscquonces 110 ono can foretell. / "But this is by no means tho most , serious aspect of the question. A / moro gravo matter is that if too Elevenths aro a fortnight or three 'Weeks behind tho scheduled . time in leaving, tho departure of subsequent drafts will be delayed in similar proportion, the reason being that, tho time-table for the transports is so nar- . rowed down that they cannot get back in time to fulfil their future engagements. • There remain two alternatives;— "(1) To send the Elevenths away f seriously short. ''(2)'lf the draft is made up later, to send a very considerable • - number away only partially trained ',at the due date. « * ; "The objections to tho first alterna- ■ have already "been dealt with. The istond would mean that not only would • large' number of men depart not folly trained, but that the efficiency of ■ whole draft would suffer as a remit. "Under theso circumstances, the authorities nppeal with confidence to 'the eligible men of New Zealand to fill tipi the ranks at once." Tho authorities conclude by saying that they do not believe that, knowing the position, 1000 men cannot be found be willing to forego their - ; Chjistmas and New Year holidays, in Wfer to meet most urgent requirements.'