STRENGTH OF FORCES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3193, 18 September 1917, Page 6

STRENGTH OF FORCES

NEW ZEALAND COMMITMENTS

A DEFENCE RETURN A return laid on the table of House of Representatives yesterday evening by Sir James Allen stated that the strength of the main bodies .to bo maintained in all fields'was:— Other Officers. Ranks. N.Z. Mounted Rifle Brigade and concomitant units ... 113 2,2G3 N.Z. Division and concomitant units 700. 20,111 N.Z. Wireless Signal Troop 1 55 Total SM The number of officers and men for every reinforcement was as follows;— , Officers. Men. Mounted Rifles 3 122 Field Artillery 2 107 Keld Engineers 1* 19 Engineer Tunnelling Co. ... — 31 Divisional Signal Service ... — 0 Infantry 31 : 1,480 Army Service Corps 1' 22 N.Z. Medical Corps 5 33 Veterinary Corps — 1 Army Pay Department — 4 N.Z. Postnl Corps — 2 N.Z. Wireless Signal Troop — 11 Chaplains Dispatched as required Totals 43 1,841 • / *With each alternate draft. The return etates that there has been no limit placed on the number of mon to bo sent from New Zealand aa vruinforcemente. The New Zealand Government undertook; to maintain reinforcoments for above establishment for tho duration of the war. The total number of men drawn in the ballots up to tho Twenty-ninth Reinforcements was 25,924, of which ,7777 reported in camp. The total number of voluntary recruits who reported in camp for tho same period was 10,292. Tho total number of men classed as medically unfit was 11,702, the total number class, ed as fit for.homo service only 10,100, the total number exempted es being connected with essential industries 2078, the total number of clergy, lay preachers, and conscientious objectors exempted 02, the total number exempted on other grounds 311, the total number passed fit but not reported in camp "05, and the total nunibor who have failed to respond to notification 1613. Tho exemptions referred to are not absolute oxcept where the appollante wore not reservists. Most of the temporary exemptions are now being roviowed.