REINFORCEMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 179, 18 April 1918, Page 7

REINFORCEMENTS.

VOLUNTEERS FROM CLASSES C AND D THE INCREASED QUOTA ■ The Minister of Defence stated in the ■Houso of Representatives on Monday evening that ho had decided to allow Class C and D reservists of the Second Division (married mon with two childron and with three children) to enliet as volunteers. This permission applies only .to m'en who aro willing to enter camp with the Forty-second Reinforcements, ■whose mobilisation begins on May 21. Ordinarily when a class of.the Second Division is opened to voluntary enlistment the men are permitted, to elect to enter camp with the first group of balloted men of' their class. But in the present instance the recruiting authorities need extra men for tho May draft, and do not.wish to handle at present men who will mobilise 'later. The medical boards will have their hands full dealing with balloted mon of Class B, First Division accretions, and volunteers ■during the next few weeks. Voluntary recruiting will be opened at ,& later date to the men of Classes C and D on the usual terms, that is, the volunteers will be permitted to enter tamp with tho first draft from their class. The authorities in the meantime aro anxious to secure as many men as possible for the Forty-second draft. This reinforcement will be a large one, in response to the request that has come 'from the Imperial authorities for support meeting the great German offensive. The Minister of Defence told the House that he expected to be able to send 1700 extra men from New Zealand during April, May, and Juno, but that the number was dependent upon tho amount of shipping available. Arrangements that have now been made are considered officially to have changed the problem for : 'the present from one of finding shipping to one of finding recruits for an immediate effort. Class.B of the Second Division is at present closed to recruiting owing to the ballot that ..has been taken this week. The Gazette containing the names of the 10,000 B men drawn is expected to be issued on April 25, and the men remaining in the class will then have an opportunity to volunteer before the next ballot. The 8000 odd men remaining in the class are likely to be called up en bloc a month hence. The number of men required for the Hew Tank Battalion is, to be supplied from New Zealand in addition ' to the reinforcements. The battalion is being formed in England and France from reserves already at the disposal of the New Zealand Commnnd, but the men thus withdrawn are to be replaced by nn extra ■/DO men sent from New Zealand. The battalion will be reinforced from Nejv Zealand as a separate unit.