MORE TROOPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2550, 26 August 1915, Page 6

MORE TROOPS

1 MARCH OF THE SOUTHERN MEN GREAT RECRUITING WELLINGTON MILITARY DISTRICTS ' RESPONSE ' The mobilisation of the Eighth Reinforcements at. TrenWiam Camp was continued yesterday. On Monday the Wellington City and suburban draft of 400 marched through the City on tlicir way to tlio camp; southern men and some from the north passed along on Tuesday; and yester"(lay morning-a very fine display was made by a big draft of Ofcago men and other southerners. The recruits from tho far south, like most men from those parts, are big and. strong. No band headed the march of the southern men, though tho Wellington draft was favoured with one. Music they had, nevertheless, for they whistled it. Appropriately, they selected "Everybody's Doin' It." The crowds along tho thoroughfares cheered them >on their way. ■ More men have arrived from the north, and by to-day tihe mobilisation should be complete. In a recent issue of The Dominion figures were quoted which showed how splendidly the. Wellington City and Suburban area had responded to tlio call for men. It was shown tbat sixty per ceut. of the single men of military ago living iif tlie area liave enlisted. Wellington is proud of the City's response, but there is also good oauso for feelings of pride at the great response made throughout the whole of the Wellington Military District, which I (roughly) is the southern portion of the North Island. Tho figures concerning the Eighth Reinforcements, aro a good indication of the Wellington District's recruiting' activity. No recruiting rallies have been held; the district always sent more than its share of men- when equal quotas were asked of every ' district ; and now, when every district's quota for the Eigtli is in proportion to the number •of men on the books (at the the quotas were decided on), Wellington is providing over 40 per cent.' of the whole .body. ' The Eighth total about 3500, for which the four military districts nave been drawn on (approximately) as follows:— Wellington District ...... 1600 Auckland District 990 , Canterbury District ...... 470 Otago" District 440 \ . Total 3500 , Oni- a population basis the quotas would have been Wellington 1115 Auckland 863 Canterbuiy 875 • Otago 647 ' Total 3500 While a now draft is being received, camp is not generally tho place for visitors to frequent, and it wai announced yesterday that (until further notice) no visiting will be allowed.