21st REINFORCEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 6

21st REINFORCEMENTS

INFANTRY RECRUITS " REQUIRED Reports from the four military districts show that tho number of men registered for the 21st Infantry Reinforcements (including the shortage on tho 20th Reinforcements) -up to Friday last was 512 short of requirements. The 21st Reinforcements will be mobilised during tho last weok of tho present month. The shortage has been reduccd substantially since Friday by further enlistments, but it has not yet been extinguished, and tho Defence authorities require to have a surplus in hand in order to allow for tho usual percentage of absentees on the day of mobilisation..

The shortages in the various military districts as on Friday were as follow: —

Group No. 1, Auckland, surplus 3 ; Group No. 2, Paeroa, shortage, 27; Group No. 3, Whangarei, shortage, 25; Group No. 4, Hamilton, shortage,' 69. Total shortage for Auckland' Military District, 108.

Group No. 5, Wellington, shortage 29; Group No. 6, Palmerston North, shortage 93; Group No. 7, Napier, shortage, 18; Group No. 7a, Masterton,- shortage, 45; Group No. 8, Hawera, shortage, 73. Total shortage for Wellington Military District, 258.Group No. 9, Christchurch, shortage 6; Group No. 10, Timaru, shortage, 20; Group No. 11, Kaiapoi, surplus, 11; Group No. 12a, Greymouth, shortage 52; Group No. 12, Nelson, shortage 5. Total shortage for Canterbury Military District, 72. Group No. 13, Dunedin, shortage, 8; Group No. 14, Invercargill, shortage 49; Group No. 15, Oamaru, shortage, 28; Group No. 16, Milton, surplus 11. Total shortage for Otago Military District, 74. Total Dominion shortage, 512. There will bo time to wipe out the shortages and provide the ' necessary surplus before the day of mobilisation, but tho figures show that recruiting, particularly in the Wellington distriot; will requiro to be active. It ought to be understood, moreover, that a man who enlists now, but elects to enter camp next month or the month after, is not assisting to fill the 21st Reinforcements. The immediate call is for men who can begin their training in the last week of the present month.