RECRUITING

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 20, 23 January 1917, Page 7

RECRUITING

AN IMPROVEMENT NOTED

WORDS OF CHEER.

"I ■ believe that for some reason or other voluntary recruiting has improved all over the Dominion," said the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. Allen) to a Post reporter to-day. He added that the next ballot would be in two sections—for the 27th and 28th Reinforcements. The reason was that the previous system did not give the men called up sufficient time to adjust their affairs. The authorities wanted to give the men two months' timo instead of one. . That would be done. It would mean a" rather big ballot, but in other respects would not entail any dis : arrangement. The ballot would be talftn during the first week in February.

"I think it is wonderful how the people in New Zealand have, taken the results of the ballot," added the Minister,

" I am very proud of them and of the way in which-they have gone, and are going, into camp. No difference is made between them and others, and, nO difference ought to be made. They are ajl the same type of men. The only thing is that circumstances have prevented them from volunteering at an earlier period in the war. As far as I can hear, they are/just as good as those who have gone before, and are going to ' play the game' in just the same way. Generally speaking, there is a very fine spirit in New Zealand. There are, uf course, a few who endeavour to create difficulties and trouble^ There are always a few who will seize the most inopportune moment for creating trouble, but on the whole the spirit of the country is excellent." ;