RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3040, 29 March 1917, Page 6

RECRUITING

THE CALL FOR MEN

RESPONSE OF VOLUNTEERS

Voluntary recruiting for the Thirtieth Reinforcements will close on Thursday, April 25. The recruits for the Twentyoichth Reinforcements will enter camp during the following week, and some slight changes will be made in the usual order, with the object of avoiding clashing with tho Easter holidays. The Wellington men, who, undor normal conditions, would have gono to camp on Tuesflay, April 10, will not be mobilised until Friday, April 13, so that they will be able to spend the Easter holidays at home.

The number of voluntary recruits available for the Thirtieth Reinforcements on Saturday last was 926. Twelve days had then to elapse before voluntary enlistment closed, and the final figures seem likely to show that half the recruits required for the draft have heen supplied under the voluntary system. The number of voluntary recruits set down for the Thirty-first Reinforce- i ments on Saturday was 205. Volunteers'! will continue to be accepted for this draft until the beginning of May^ The rate of voluntary recruiting in the various districts shows marked differences. It appears, even when allowance has been made for the varying j quotas, that some districts are much j less inclined to rely 'upon compulsion than others. The following figures show the voluntary recruits attested, for the Thirtieth Reinforcements in the various recruiting districts up to and including ] Saturday last: — Recruiting district. Volunteers. Auckland city ~ 214 Paeroa 24 : AVhangarei •„.. 37 Hamilton ". 68 Wellington city 144 ' Palmerston North 'M Napier 60 Hawera 55 Christchurch U Timaru 9 Rangiora 4 Nelson ■ 8 Dunediu 78 \ •. Invercargill 7 Oamaru ■ 11 Milton.'. : 7 Rotorua 44 Masterton 45 Gisbornc 9 Wanganui 32 Greymouth ;.....,. 8 It will he noticed'that Auckland and Wellington have done well in providing voluntary recruits for the Thirtieth draft. Some of the smaller districts, have recruited strongly, but it does not seem likely that any district will escape the ballot altogether. next month. • ■ . : First Division men are now attested before medical examination in . the event of their volunteering, and this arrangement makes easy tho way of the reservist who wishes to avoid the ballot. If a man comes forward as a volunteer he will bfl taken out of the ballot, and then medically examined as soon as possible. Should he be passed as fit, he :will he sent to enmp subsequently, in the usu.tt way, while if he-Ms; declared unfit, he will be given leave without.pay until further notice. _In either case he will be no ,longer liable to be drawn in the ballot. Naturally this procedure takes time, and a man who enlists voluntarily on the eve , of a ballot may find that his name has been drawn and gazetted.