AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1915, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE

RECRUITING. OFFICERS BUSY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, 30th April. This week has been especially marked by intense popular concern in the war, to the general exclusion of most other topics from the minds of the many. Of | course, this is only natural in view of the news to hand of the desperate fighting in Europe and of the strain which is being put on the resources of the Empire by the half-do2en campaigns in which Great Britain finds herself engaged. An increase in the stream of volunteers for service abroad has been an expression of the state of the popular mind. In Sydney recruiting has been further stimulated by a great march of expeditionary troops through the city. The people of Sydney rose to the occasion by the numbers who crowded togetheryas spectators to cheer the soldiers, but there was a rather remarkable absence of flags and other decorations on buildings in the city. A squad of men from a French warship were given the place of honour at the head of the procession, and the Frenchmen were left in no doubt as to the warmth of admiration felt for Britain's Allies by the people of Australia. Since that procession the recruiting officers at Sydney have had an exceptionally busy time. In three days over 700 men offered themselves for service. On a couple of days the rush of volunteers was so strong that the usual number of doctors for the making of the necessary physical examinations was not sufficient, and there were consequently strong complaints by and on behalf of men who were told to come again another day after having waited, almost ' completely stripped, lor a couple of hours in a cold shed for their turn before the doctors. The official announcement is made that volunteers for the Empire's battles will not again be treated in so shabby a manner. REJECTED RECRUITS NOTHING LIKE FORTY PER CENT. MEDICAL VIEWS (BY TELEGRAPH— SPBCIAL TO THB POST.) AUCKLAND, This Day The reported statement by the Minister for Defence that in. recruiting 40 per cent, allowance must bo made for medicai rejects was referred to a number of local doctors. "Nothing like it," said au experienced medical officer, when 40 per cent, as the figure of rejection was spoken of. It was mentioned to him that 14 had been suggested aa possibly what was meant "That is nower it," he said, "and you will find that that number is not under the mark." In his experience the most frequent cause of un fitness was unsound teeth. _ Many had variooee veins, and were rejected on that account, and there were a few with more serious ailments. "A good percentage of those who are rejected, said the doctor, "are quite fit but they do not possess development to conform with the regulations. Take, for instance, the man who can expand his cheat from 28 inches to 34 inches. That is very good expansion, but the regulation says that the expanded chest must bo 35 inches, so this man goes out. There are quite a. number like this, good healthy fellows Soma of them who are just under 35 inches go away and train and exercise themselves, and come back and pass the test. There have been several instances of this. _ Those men would all be counted in rejects, but even so tho number is nothing like forty per cent. The idea is preposterous. If 40 per cent, of unmarried men, between the ages of 20 ' and 35 years, are medically unfit, what is going to happen to the community?"