OUR REINFORCEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3170, 22 August 1917, Page 4

OUR REINFORCEMENTS

Apart from that portion of his speech in which he sought to answer Mr. Parr's criticism of General Sir A. Godley, tho Minister of Defence is to be congratulated on tho very full and lucid statement which he mado to the House of Representatives last evening on matters associated with his Department. In tho earlier part of his remarks ho appeared to be more concerned to cast discredit on the action of the member for Eden for daring to indulge in such criticism the evidence of the soldiers and officers ho had met here ancl abroad than in replying to the real issues raised by Mr. Parr. In detailing to tho House the position of our Forces and the reinforcement drafts and ■in explaining the circumstances leading up to the present situation and indicating as far as possible tho intentions of the Government for the immediate future, Sir James Allen was at his best. He was clear, frank, and as complete in his presentation of the facts and figures as tho most captious could wish, and tho manner in which bo won tho interest and earned the approval of the House as ho developed this portion of his speech should be a lesson to some of his colleagues. Members arc unreasonable enough in their demands at times, but they rarely fail to appreciate candour and a frank recognition of tho obligation which rests on Ministers to supply all legitimate information regarding public affairs. The details supplied by tho Minister of Defence regarding our reinforcement drafts should go far to clear away tho doubts which havo been voiccd respecting the necessity for maintaining these Jn tho past at tho high rate fixed. Tho Government here was acting throughout on tho best advicc procurable, and had a shortage arisen, to tho prejudico of.tho men in.tho fighting-lines through failure to follow that advicc Ministers would havo been universally condemned. The position regarding tho return on holiday leave of tho men of the Main Expeditionary Forco is now made clear. The men will be brought back to New Zealand at tho rate of 250 a month, and tho Minister stated that this would be continued until tho end of the war. Presumably this means that in 11 1 rn each of the reinforcement drafts will l-eccive similar leave so long a3 tie war lasts, the earlier reinforcements of course, receiving priority and obtaining their leave in the simo order in which they went off to the fighting-lines. This point, however, needs clearing up, as, S9 far as is known, tlio only definite statement as to the men to bo this leavo relates to the Main Expeditionary Force and its first reinforcement draft. The men will bo about two months on the voyage back here, two months on holiday in New Zealand, and two months on the return journey. It is regrettable that earlier in the day, wnen the question of reducing the agelimit to 19 cropped up in the House of Representatives, an unfortunate disclosuro of contradictory, or at any rate conflicting, statements by tho Prime Minister and Minister 'of Defence should havo been made Tho fact cannot bo covered up that Ministers have been lacking in candour on this question. We havo been deluged with letters of v>rotost on tho subject, and for some days past have refrained_ from publishing theso in the belief that it was unnecessary; that the Government now had no serious intention of calling on boys of 19 to serve while there were plenty of men in the country yet available. Apparently, however, the matter has not yet been definitely decided. It is a most discreditable thing that Ministers should shuffle and evade on a matter of this nature. The sentiment of the country is entirely opposed 1.0 the idea, and thero is not 011 c person in ten who has given tho subject any thought who does not believe that tho Government actuated in tho matter by tho lowest possible motive —th;it is, the slnrlving of the financial cost of making adequate provision for the dependants of members of the Second Division.

Trout frv are to bo distributed as follows from" the Masterton iisli hatcheries this seasonßrown Irout: Masterton, SO 000: AVairarapa South. 00.000; Paliial.ua, 70'000; Levin, '10,00; Taihape, 30,000; Ekcta'lnina 70,000; Palmerston, 40,000; Hull, 100 000 ;*Akatarawa, 70,000; AYainui, 20,000; Mun-»aroa, 20,000; AVaikanao, 30,000; Pakuratahi, 20,000; Little AVainui, 10,000; Martin's Ifiver, .'IO,OOO. Rainbow trout: Marlon, 35,000: Huntcrvillc, 23,000; Tailiap(\ 20,000; l'ahialua, 12.001); Palmorslon North, 10,000; Lovin, 10,000; Jlungawckii, 10,000; AVainui Eesorvc, 5000; AVaiolururu, 5000; Turanganui, 5000.