THE RECRUITING CAMPAIGN.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15512, 12 February 1916, Page 7

THE RECRUITING CAMPAIGN.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES.

SIMPLE SCHEME PROPOSE©,

A conference of local representatives and members of the North . Canterbury Recruiting Board was held last night. There were present: — Colonel Chaffev (chairman), and Messrs J. D. Millton, J. M. Turnbull, A. S. Clarkson, and C. W. Hervey thon. secretary), members of the Recruiting Board, and the following representatives of local bodies: Messrs C. H. Winny (New Brighton), S. A. Staples (Waimairi), W. Manhire (Spreydon), G. Hall (Heatheote), W. lladcliffe (Lyttelton).

An apology for absence was received from Mr H. Holland, Mayor of Christchurch.

Tlio chairman stated that in November last it was found recruiting was becoming slack. There were several organisations doing recruiting work, but they were overlapping one another. When he found that the recruiting returns were not up to tne mark, he convened a meeting of representatives of different bodies, which formed a North Canterbury Recruiting Board. He advised the Government of the formation, of this body, and was instructed to announce suen fact in dis*trict orders. £he Board had met with good results ■ in the country, but had not yet touched the city, and it was with the object of assisting recruiting in the town that the confcrcnco of local representatives had been called. Colonel Chaffey refefrcd to the Government scheme, and said he understood the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. Holland) was going to convene a . public meeting for the purpose of setting up a Recruiting Board. He (Colonel Chaffey) suggested that the Mayor oi Christchurch try to constitute a Recruiting Board l'or the city, composed of the representatives of local bodies, and ailow the North Canterbury Recruiting Board to conduct the general recruiting campaign for the province and act as the go-between with tho Government. However, if it were desired that the members of the North Canterbury Recruiting Board should go out of office, they would be only too pleased to do so, if it was thought it would bo better.

In reply to Mr Clarkson, the chairman said he understood tie Government recognised the North Canterbury Recruiting Board inasmuch as it had addressed a. letter to / him as chairman of t-lio North Canterbury Recruiting Board. Mr Johnston considered that the scheme after it was put into action required a head body in each district. In districts other than Canterbury and Ota.ao there did not appear to be a head recruiting body, and it would be worth the Government's while to consider the advisability of setting up such organisations. It was. for the delegates present to consider this question, and also as to whether representatives from the .boroughs should join the North Canterbury Recruiting Board or set up a. joint committee of representatives from the pity and boroughs. Each borough might have U3 own recruiting committee. Each of these committees might be represented on a Central City Committee, and the Central Committee bo represented on the North Canterbury Recruiting Board, or such other head body as might exist. Thus they would havo co-ordination and continuity of effort. Mr Hall said he would be able to get together a strong recruiting committee in his riding, Cashmere Hills. There would be no difficulty in each member of the Heatheote County Council forming a small recruiting organisation in his district. This was what the Heatheote County Council intended to do. and the Council was under the impression that this was the general scheme of each recruiting organisation reporting to the North Canterbury Recruiting Board. This seemed simplicity itself to him, as this scheme would cover the whole of the city and its environs. He did not understand tho necessity for holding public meetings ; personal contact was the thing. The city itself could be split up into small divisions with, a small committee to work each. He did not see what was to be gained by the city districts combining into one organisation for the recruiting work. One could not have better organisation than the scheme adopted by the Heatheote County Council.

The chairman agreed with Mr Hall that the days for public meetings were over.

" Mr Staples agreed with Mr Hall's remarks. Though the scheme oould not be organised in Waimairi in a, fortnight as in Heathcote, he thought it could bp brought into operation within three weSks. Socials and concerts. he claimed, were of great assistance to recruiting, as they could not always get young fellows to enlist in cold blood. He held that the present North Canterbury Recruiting Board should continue to exist, because it was properly, organised,- and they -wanted a head —and also a tail to waggle vigorously. Mr Turnbull suggested that instead of the Mayors becoming members of the North Canterbury Recruiting Board, that they hold a meeting anil discuss matters, and then nieet the Board. v

The chairman thought Mr Hall's scheme could not be improved upon.

Mr Winny said his Council had not greatly considered the question, because it had not much scope for working in New Brighton district, as a matter of fact, practically all the eligible men in New Brighton had already enlisted. Mr Winny considered Mr Hall had stnuck the right note,

and his scheme had the great advantage of being very simple. Any assistance New Brighton could give would be given most heartily. Mr Manhire stated that Sprevdon had already got to work, and had a cemmittee organised which was only waiting for instructions from the, head body, which they understood was the North Canterbury Recruiting Board. Mr Radcliffe said Lyttelton would certainly . organise a sub-committee which would work in conjunction with the North Canterbury Recruiting board. The chairman said the lists should arrive any day'now, and as soon as received would be posted to the different districts. He was of the opinion that the Government really intended the North Canterbury Recruiting Board to carry out the working of the scheme in this part of the Dominion. Mr Millton: Will the question of the issue of these badges be made during tb<> rceruiting campaign?

The chairman: Oh, yes; most certainly. 1 have been urging the Government to issue them as quickly as possible. In reply to a further question by Mr Millton. the chairman stated that he presumed the group officer would issue badges, but who was to decitie who was to receive the badges ? 'Whether a man was entitled to one or not because he was married would, he thought, have to be left to the decision of the recruiting body in each district. ' Wellington r he considered, could not say who' should or should not receive a badge,' nor could the North Canterbury Recruiting Board, altogether. -The best' scheme would be for the local Recruiting Board to :recommond the persons who should receive the armlets.

Mr Johnston considered thpre should •not be too much local colour in the

issue of the armlets, otherwise el j e ■would be an uproar, and the whole scheme fall into disrepute. Mr Clarkson recounted his experiences of a recruiting meeting at Leeston, where fire recruits were obtained, but there was no officer of the Defence Department present. It seemed absurd that a centre of the size of Leeston should not have a Defence Office. •

The chairman stated that in future a member of the Defence Staff would go withTecruiting campaigners, and be in attendance at their meetings. The chairman stated that Mr Holland was in sympathy with the objects of the Board, and willing to work in conjunction with it. Only a previous engagement had prevented him from attending the conference th'at evening. Mr Hall moved :— "That the representatives of local bodies represented at this conference give it as an expression of opinion that they consider it desirable that the North Canterbury Recruiting Board should remain in existence as at present constituted, supplemented by representatives of local bodies." The motion was carried unanimously. FAVOURABLE REPLIES. fPRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, February 11. '"'The replies coming to hand from local bodies and recruiting organisations, which were asked to assist in connexion with the new recruiting scheme arc almost entirely favourable." said the Prime Minister to-day. "We are receiving communications from all parts of the country expressing the willingness of the writers to assist in securing the men required for the Reinforcement drafts. I have read only one reply from a local body that is not willing to assist. "I have not yet received the reply of the "Waipa Borough Council', which was the lirst to make its refusal public. That body appears to be less enthusiastic in its patriotism than the majority of the local bodies throughout the Dominion. lam quite sure that it docs not reflcct the feeling of the residents in the locality." WELLINGTON ORGANISATION. (PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, February 11. In response to the Recruiting Board's circular, the Mayor of Wellington convened a conference, which was held in the Town Hall to-day, to consider' the new recruiting scheme. It was attended by local members of Parliament,' City Councillors, and Mayors and chairmen of suburban local bodies. On the motion of tho Mayor of Wellington, seconded by Dr. Newman, M.P., it was decided to establish a central recruiting organisation for No._ o Group Area. A secretary and general" committee were appointed. YESTERDAY'S ENLISTMENTS. There were nine enlistments for tho Four- I teenth Reinforoemcnts yesterday, tho namoa beinjr: — Albert Honry Wenham, motor driver, Loudon, Tcddington—Mounted. John Fletcher, butcher, Bexley road. New* Brighton—Mounted. Robert Adam Halliday, carter, Simeon quay, liyttclton—lnfantry. Alfred Weir, musician, 38 Prinoes street, Riccarton—lnfantry. William Smith, fireman, Bradford's Boardinghouse, Christchurch—lnfantry. Gordon Keith, labourer, SO James avenue, Papanui—lnfantry. Charles H. liilley, oook, 105 Bristol street, St. Albans—Mounted. James Bayno* labourer, Geraldine — Mounted. CONSCRIPTION URGED. The Recruiting Board's circular to local bodies, when read at the Wanganui Borough Council meeting on Wednesdav night, drew some pointed vemarks from the Mayor. "It is a most injiportanrt matter," said his Worship, '.'but I have my doubts as to the wisdom of the steps the Government is 1 taking. It is my opinion that _ the time has come when the position as regards recruiting should be regularised and met by a levy which will press equally on the whole country, and not on the willing horse alone. The Government should notify how many men it wants, and bring them on'as required. In other words, conscription." ARMLETS. TO THE EDITOR Or "THE TRESS." Sir, —Regarding a sub-leader in" your paper to-day. I feel sure all thinking readers will coincide with your views regarding the armlets which will be issued by the Government. You are right. The armlets should be the ' same here as in Great Britain. Our Empire is one family, and a more united family than it was before this terrible war. May I be pardoned, Sir, for making a suggestion through your columns. It is this: That all old volunteers who have taken the oath of allegiance to their Sovereign and were ready if the bugle sounded' to fight for our lying and country, should also have the privilege of a bridge. _ The wearing of it possibly might shame some of 'the young generation into doing their tiutv.—Yours, etc.". PATERFAMILIAS. February 11th.