DOMINION NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 26 May 1915, Page 5

DOMINION NEWS.

THE MAORI FORCE

ANOTHER CONTINGENT TO BE

TRAINED

MILITARY AUTHORITIES PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH FIRST LOT.

BY TELEGBAPE —VRESS ASSOCIATION.

AUCKLAND,

May 25

The Hon. Dr Pomare, the Minister representing the native race, arrived In Auckland this morning, mainly for the purpose, of making arrangements for the training of the next contingent of Maori soldiers for the front.

The first contingent, Dr Pomare states, created a splendid impression in Egypt, and official correspondenc-3 proves that General Birdwood and the other military authorities were- particularly pleased with the stamp cf .men of which the contingent was made up. The result is that it has now been decided that the Maoris shall go to the front, and as soon as their training is complete they will proceed to the Dardanelles. Whether the men who went to Malta will return to Egypt for further training Dr Pomare does not know, but it is intended that they shall go into the firing line in about two months' time. In the meantime a system of continual recruiting will proceed, so that the pre-

sent*" expeditionary force may lie kept up to its full strength,-and as a first reinforcement 330 men wil be selected to go into camp at Auckland for active training. The physical standard required w:ll nndergo some alteration. Ihe first contingent consisted of men of an average height of sft 9in and an average weight of over I2st In selecting men for the new quota-'the minimum height .will be reduced from oft 8:n to sft 6in. The first reinforcements will be 330, strong, and will go iato immediate training at Auckland. A force*of natives at Rarotonga is also under steady training and it is likely that the Cook Islands will supply a fine stamp_ of recruit They will not be brought to Auckland to join the first iemforeements, however, as winter weather here would, it is considered be unsuitable. They will join a later ! quota. ■