THE CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2636, 6 December 1915, Page 6

THE CALL FOR MEN

1 SHORTAGE OF INFANTRY t THE DOMINION'S POSITION I i SOUTH ISLAND BEHIND : WANTED: 587 INFANTRY IN 11 DAYS The Eleventh Reinforcements aro to . commence moving' into camp on Decem- ■, ber 14. Eleven days before that da.e i there was a big shortage of infantrv— i that is' according to the Jatest letwns. i liio exact shortage cannot be arrived i at because the Auckland anil Canterbury returns have been made out showing the gross number of fit men cn tho books, not tho precise number who aro willing to go ino camp in the middlo ot this month. , However, that does not prevent one from arriving at- the position approximately. Wellington ancTOtago, by the way, show their exact positions in relation to the Eleventh Reinforcements. The slort- ■ age is mostly in the South Island, where only about 30 per cent, of the lU mu ' ■ r ?9.l'ired has been secured. Ihe positions of the four military districts aro:— :

_ The chief arms are the infantry and the -mounted. The districts'- positions regarding infantry are:— a ii i Short. Over. Auckland Military District... — 37 WeHmgton Military District — 22 Canterbury Military District 221 — Otago Military District ...... 212 —' As to the mounted arm. the district positions are:— ' aii 1 Short. Over. Auckland Military . District — 51 Wellington Military District — 98 Canterbury Military District — 2 Otago Military District 5 — Required for the "Elevenths." The totals required of New Zealand for the Eleventh Reinforcements, and the totals enrolled for it are shown in the following table:--Required Enlr . , on Dec. 14, rolled. Mooted ■ 389 535 - Artillery 163 420 Engineers 95 197 Signal Service 25 59 Infantry 1659 1285 A.S.G. 20 254 Ambulance 51 245 Totals 2402 25J95 The position of the infantry is as follows :— ■ Required ' by Dec. 14. Enrolled. Shortage. 1659 1285 ' 374 The actual urgent need of infantry is. however, far in excess of 374. The Auckland and the Christcliurch enrolments are the. gross numbers of fit men on the books of those districts—not the net fit men available for the Eleventh draft. If the AVellington rate,of unreadiness of the total fit infantry to* go into camp this month is taken as a guide, Auckland's and Canterbury's inxantry figures should be reduced by about one-third. That would . show Auckland's fit and available infantry to number about 300, and Canterbury's about 130, which would increase the ■ Dominion shortage to about 587. : The position of the two Islands re- : ga-rding infantry appears to be:— ;

Required. Secured. Shortage. North 952 859 93 South 707 213 . 494 Totals ... 1659 1072 587 So far as infantry for the Eleventh Reinforcements is. concerned, the position is, therefore, about 100 better than it was a week ago. Still, more than 587 infantry short for tSe"ffleventh have to be found. Gaps in the Tenth Reinforcements remain unfilled, and infantry are needed for that force. Wellington Military District alone is being asked 1 for 85 men for the purpose. WELLINGTON QUOTA ALL IN EXTR!,\ INFANTRY DEMAND As the Eleventh Reinforcements are to go into camp eight days from now the progress of recruiting in t"he Wellington military district is Being watched with close interest. The ohief arm regarding which there is anxiety is the infantry, and the net result of the last week's recruiting in the whole of the district is a gam of 132 infantry fit and available for the December drafts, The gross figures for the week show an increase of registrations, a-s the following table illustrates:— InNov. 20. Dec. 3. crease Fit on books 1704 1875 171 Not yet examined 171 369 198 Total 1875 2244 369 But the total of men now availablo for this month's force is less than the total shown in last woek's return. Apparently, however, the decrease is immaterial, for there is no decline in infantry. The figures bearing on this aspect of the campaign for men are:— InNov. 20. Dec. 3. crease Fit on books .... 1704 1875 171 Available for Doc. draft 1126 1117 *9 Fit but not available this month 578 758 180 Not yet examined 171 ' 369 . 198 Total for consideration for Jan. 749 1127 37S short. The diatript'^

fit and available enrolments as compared with tlic quota required of it for December 14 now is:— AvailQuota. able. Mounted 126 224 Artillery 53 03 Engineers 31 66 Signal Service 8 18 Infantry 537 559 A.S.C.' 7 60 Ambulance 16 49 So, while a little over a week ago the district was 110 short of its infantry for tho Eleventh Reinforcements, it is now only 22. Nevertheless, still more infantry are required. A call has come for an extra 85 men to fill gaps in the Tenth Reinforcements. ■ The Wellington group has been asked_ for 40 of these extras, Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay for 35, and Taranaki for 10. These men are to go into camp on Thursday next. A week back all the groups except Manawatu were short of infantry for the Eleventh. Now only the city group, Wairarapa, and Taranaki are short for that draft. The best recovery has been made in Taranaki, which improved in the week from 45 infantry available and 52 awaiting examination to 104 fit and 126 awaiting examination. However, the additional call for extras to mako up for shortages in the Tenth canses the latest return really to show a deficit. The Net Shortage. Taking the infantry wanted by Decomber 9 for gaps in the Tenth* draft and the quotas wanted for the Eleventh draft by December 14, the position is: Avail- ShortAVanted. able. age. City and Suburbs ... 184 129 55 Manawatu 120 141 — Hawke's Bay ....... 115 106 9 Wairarapa 83 79 4 Taranaki 120. 104 16 Military district... 622 559 *63 *Net shortage. A fine patriotic spirit is evident in Mr. Rowland's splendid offer of 15 per oent! discount to Soldiers on all trade lines. Wristlet watches from 10s., with radium dials from 225. 6d. Take advantage of this generous offer and visit A. E. M Rowland, Jeweller, 90 Manners Street, Wellington.—Advt.

Auckland Military District. ■ : : Total fit on Quota, books. Moused 98 149 Artillery 41 134 Engineers -24 74 Signal Service 6' 24 Infantiy 415 452 Ambulance 13 l]8 A - S - c - 5 107 602 1058 Wellington Military District. ,, , Quota. Available. Mounted 126 224' Artillery 53 93 Engineers _ 31 66 bignai Service 8 18 In'anfry:.," ..-537 559 . 4 ; ; 7 60 Ambulance 16 49 778 1069 Canterbury Military District. Total * ■ ■ fit on , r , , Quota, books. Mounted 96 98 Artillery 39 i 07 Engmeers _ 23 36 . bigiial Seme© ........ 6 14 412 191 5 39 Ambulance 13 ■ 4 g 594 531 Otngo Military District. v Avail,r , , Quota. • able. Mounted 69 .64 Artrflery. 30' 86 Engineers 17 21 Signal Service 5 . 3 Infantry ,... 295 83 4 i, ; 3 48 • Ambulance ' , 9 32 Totals 1 ~428 337