RECRUITING PROGRESS

Grey River Argus, 29 August 1939, Page 10

RECRUITING PROGRESS

It is an interesting point that the response to the recent successful appeal for Territorial recruits has been so widespread. The enthusiasm has. if possible, been strongest at the extreme north and south of New Zealand. Northland, for example, has a splendid record, in that the North Auckland Regiment is nearly 600 strong, and the Nortn Auckland Mounted Rifles, one of the new motor Regiments, has nearly doubled its authorised peace establishment. Kaitaia has recruited the magnilicient total of 200 men—easily a New Zealand record for the size of the community concerned. This strength includes a sniper platoon of 26, raised by the local Rifle Clubs from younger members who are of Territorial age. They will be a most valuable addition to their Regiment, particularly with the experienced men who are available in that area to assist with their training. Ever since the volunteer system was re-introduced, Timaru has been outstanding, not only for the number] of men produced, but also for thenquality. During the last three or four years Timaru has provided the Support Company of the Canterbury Regiment, that is, the machine gun and mortar Company. Under Major G. R. Lee the Company recently held a full day parade, which was attend-, ed by 176 officers, N.C.O’s. and men. This is a record for New Zealand for an individual Infantry Company. That is excellent, ‘but what is even more valuable is the fact that the Company has taken over 100 men to each of the last three annual camps. It can, therefore, claim to be not only at full strength, but to also include a large proportion of trained Vickers gunners and Stokes mortar crews.

Although some Territorial units, particularly the Provincial Infantry and Mounted Rifle Regiments, still require a number of recruits to reach their full peace strength, the Dornin-! ion total is well over 16,000, and it is,; therefore, fair to say that the response | to the appeal for. recruits has been i good in all districts. Te Kuiti has! just concluded an excellent recruit-I ing week and has added over 200 men to the Ist Battalion, Waikato Regiment. The strength now includes 142 in Te Kuiti itself, together with 64 from Pio Pio and Aria and 36 from iTe Anga. At the smaller centres the ' men eligible for the Territorial Force are so few and far between that the response probably represents 75 per cent of these men. Considering the difficulties of transport and climatic conditions in the King Country, the results are a great tribute to the spirit of the citizens in that district. Reports have been received from Greymouth that Territorial recruiting is going ahead very well on the West Coast. The Greymouth Company has been increased to a strength of 120 ' and it is practically at full strength now. The Coast has always produced first class men for any national service, and the men who are joining up now in the local Territorials are as good as any who have come forward in the past when similar emergencies have arisen.

Wairoa recently raised a troop for the Wellington-East Coast Mounted Rifles, a Regiment which includes men from Tolaga Bay Garterton. As anyone who knows Wairoa wornd expect, the Troop has filled up immediately with very good types of young men who, in addition, can produce excellent horses. The nominal roll of the new Troop includes four Brownlies, John, Earle, James and Ralph, who presumably are members of the famous Rugby family. As with so many other smaller centres, Wairoa is more concerned with the smallness of its quota, than with any difficulty about finding the men. The same spirit is in evidence throughout New Zealand, and Territorial Regiments are really faced with more men offering than they can absorb. It would be interesting to know how many firms in New Zealand can equal the record of the Dunedin branch of Dalgety and Compan? Limited. Every member of its office staff eligible for the Territorial Force has volunteered for service in one or other of the Dunedin units. To commemorate this excellent effort by the firm, the officer commanding the Otago Regiment, LieutenantColonel J. M. Samson, recently presented a suitably inscribed shell case to the manager. It is hoped that other firms who can claim the same record will announce the fact, so that their public-spirited response can be gratefully acknowledged

In all the more important towns throughout New Zealand parades have recently been held of the National Military Reserve, Class 11., that is, the ex-servicemen. Out of a retirement of mole than 20 years they have come forward realising that they should serve, and knowing exactly what is involved by their offer. They have not joined to learn anything now, or because there might be some fun in it, they are past that They are men between 36 and 55 years of age, and the bulk seem to be nearer the 55 years mark. They have a stakein the land. They have something to defend. The parades have been more in the nature of reunions than any attempt at ordered movement, but that will come and most of the Companies are getting down straight away to the training required. Some of them have already been out on the local range and started to brush up their shooting. They are being told exactly what their tasks will be m an emergency, and they are geuuig on with the necessary preparation without fuss, without uniform, but in the service of real national value to New Zealand. More than that, they are setting an example which 5,000 younger men have followed in the last five weeks by offering their services _ jn the Territorial Force. I

I Medical ollicers who have examined 5,000 recruits throughout New Zealand during the last few weeks are of the opinion that the health and physique of men between 18 and 32 years of age is on as high a plane to-1 day as before the War. Of those ottering for the Territorial Force, the percentage turned down because of physical disabilities has been very small. From time to time views are expressed that the youth of the country is tending to become weedy and degenerate. If there is any truth in for improvement in the dental standard of New Zealanders. A number of excellent recruits have been forced to postpone commencing their training until their teeth have been attended to. It has also been established that the modern ■ physical training which is carried out by the Army, plus the regular exercise in the open, has a most beneficial effect on the health and physique of the participants. Regular inspection of men serving in the Territorial Special Reserve shows that substantial increases in weight, height and lung capacity .

are noticeable, even titter a month’s training. The Ist Battery, N.Z.A. recently held their 20th Annual Reunion in Wellington. One member of the Battery, however, was not present, owing to a most important prior engagement. 'Die 15th Coast. Battery was carrying out a twenty-four hours full scale exercise to test the combined airand land defences of Wellington, and | the Artilleryman in question is one : of the Digger volunteers manning the Wellington searchlights. Instead of being present at. an excellent even- j ing’s entertainment with his old pals of the Ist Battery, he was _ operating; a searchlight under very wintry con-i ditions, searching for the “e'nemy” in i the turbulent waters outside the Wei-, lington Heads. It is gratifying to know that the search was successful and that the exercise as a whole produced very good results, which will : be of material benefit in the further training of the Territorial units con-j cerned, both Army and Air Force. i