LEADING THE WAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2466, 20 May 1915, Page 7

LEADING THE WAY

WELLINGTON'S RESPONSE

OUR QUOTA EASILY EXCEEDED

OUTSIDE RESULTS

At the present time, when the absolute need for lighting men is more evident than ever it was before, Wellington is making the finest response to tho call which has yet been made in the Dominion. This is a proud position for the City, and a seat of honour which bids fair to be retained. In tho days of peace Wellington presented more men and boys for military training than any other centre did; now, in the hour of need, she is again leading the way. Yesterday's enrolments brought Wellington's total enrolments up to 3557 men. The forces in Trentham camp at present are the Fifth and the Sixth Reinforcements. Wellington provided tho bulk of the Samoan force, its share of the main body which went to Egypt, and its full quota for the first six reinforcement bodies. Besides this, it made good certain numerical deficiencies for_ certain outside areas. Now it has provided its quota for the new force, and also for the Seventh Reinforcements. The men being enrolled at present are for the Eighth Reinforcements, and as this body will not be called up for a little while yet, it is very evident that Wellington is keeping well ahead of the call which has so far been made upon it. Wellington City's infantry quota for the new force which was callcd for a month ago is 105. There were nearly six weeks allowed in which to find the men, but the first few days' recruiting after the announcement that the force would be sent yielded enough men to cover the number. Moreover, there were about enough men on the books at the Wellington Recruiting Office at the time to fill the requirement. The Wellington Military District's quota in infantry for the new force was 500, and the district as a whole made a response well in keeping with the reply given by the City. The Wellington men for this new force have all been called up, and they are to go into Trentham camp on Ma)' 29. What Other Districts are Doing.

The city's quota for the Seventh Re-, inforcemeuts is 45 mounted men, 90 infantry, and four veterinarians, a total of 139 men. These are all selected, and will be called up very shortly. They are to go into camp at Trentham on June 11.

For the new force the other three military districts wore asked to provide the same number of infantry as Wellington—soo. On Monday last Auckland had almost completed its quota. Sixty more men were required, aud, no doubt, before the end of this week, they will have been secured. It is understood, however, that there has been a slackening off of enrolments in Auckland lately. Besides the men for the new body Auckland has yet to fill its quota for the Seventh Reinforcements. In Otago recruiting has never been as brisk-as it has in Wellington. Lately it has improved considerably, and between noon last Friday and noon on the following Monday 17 men registered in Dunedin. This excludes twentysix who enrolled at a recruiting rally held on the Saturday evening. In the same period Wellington enrolled about twice the number. Otago supplied its full quota for the Sixth Reinforcements and may yet provide enough men and fulfil the obligation resting on it respecting the forces now about to be called up. Should it not have the necessary number of men to send forward it is likely that Wellington will have t<i fill what gaips there are. It was stated in t Dunedin on Monday that should there be any possibility of a shortage from Otago the lists there would have to close not later than the end of this week. At that time, of the 500 men required for the new force, barely 200 had been enrolled. Thirty-four men enrolled in Wellington yesterday. Their names are:--

John B. Tanmarunui.

Rowland, railway porter,

James Gordon, labourer, Karori. Claude J. Cos, civil servant, City. Charles P. Howorth, architect, City. ■Robert M. Ferguson, carpenter, City.

Willie Higginb'ottom. labourer, City. Ronald Eric Ginders. drover, City. Eric J. P. Williamson, chemist, City. James Brownlee, civil servant, City. Lester James Ahern, Harbour Board casual, City. Thomas Henry Ingham, civil servant, City. John Lucre, chainman, Brooklyn. Thomas Grant Brown, conimorcial traveller, City. Fred. Bates, carrier, Brooklyn. Robert Neil Doneghue, hairdresser, Island Bay. William M. Duncan, railway clerk, Petone.

William Gunter, messenger ( City. James Richard Christie, Kilbirnie. Laurence A. Lord, tentmaker, City. Paul Stafford Rabone, bank clerk, City. '

Tyrell Quin, civil servant. City. Francis A. Dender. civil servant, City.

Harry Cross Morgan, steward, City. Charles M'Dougall, gasfitter, City. Charles Felstrom, seaman, City. Donald M'Gill, steward, City. William Ernest Stevens, civil servant, City. Arthur Fredk. Webb, bookbinder City. Arthur H. Mullany, labourer, Lower Hutt.

Clias. H. Grant, seaman, City. Harry A. Daniel, ship's officer, Dunedin.

Fredk. Colliii, hospital attendant, Porirna. Timothy O'Grady, labourer. City. Percy James E. Robertson, law clork, Island Bay. The following additional volunteers have been accepted for active sorvice (says our Napier correspondent):—E. M. Cathew (Awatoto), W. H. Duphy (Napier), J. E. G:rinlinson (Napier), Daniel Doodey (Te Pohui), F. A. Hirst Hastings), W. H. Martin (Greenmeadows), A. Robinson (Grcenmeadoivs). •'