Recruiting

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 21 July 1916, Page 3

Recruiting

(TO THE EDITOR.) Sir—“ Puzzled” is not the only one of your numerous readers who is in a fog as to the slackness of

recruiting. There are only three reasons that I can thirk of as the cause, and that is firstly, that the greater number of eligible young men are not loyal enough to fight for the Empire, and think that they are quite safe in New Zealand 16,000 miles away from the firing line sheltering behind the loyal ones and trying to jump into good positions. I heard one young man say that be had asked tor higher wages because he knew his boss was in a hole, and he had to give him the rise in pay to enable him to carry on and when asked if he thought that was a fair thing during the present crisis —he replied that “It was just the time to turn the screw on and he would never miss a chance. Mr Editor, that class of man does not intend to enlist and from all accounts there are a good many not 100 miles from Huntly. This class of man should be made tc go first. Secondly there are theluke-warra ones who apparently think that now the war appears to have taken a move in favour of the Allies, more recruits are not required. Judding from what the military experts think, this idea is nonsense. They are certain that much more requires to be done before any reduction in recruiting is justifiable. No one seems quite certain as to what Germany’s strength is, because it is now prelty sure that they did not publish the correct statistics, and it is absolutely necsssaryto procure every available man to thrash Germany to a standstill. Certainly the Allies are,- making good headway now, and it is not likely that the Germans will give in if they think they are going town, but it will tend to make them fight all the harder when p essed, and they will become more heathenish and brutal in their treatment of prisoners as the war goes on, and therefore we must keep up the reinforcements to their full strength. Thirdly, there are a lot just waiting te see how the workers of the Dominion are going to take the passing of the Compulsion Bill, which should have been on the Statue Book months ago and when it does become law the National Government (if it does its duty), should make up all Reinforcements from single men medically fit, who failed to fill in the National Registration forms at the proper time, and from the 34,000 who absolutely refused to assist the Empire in any way at all, and keep back all those who have handed in their names to assist the Home Reserve in case of emergency, if trouble arise in the Dominion, because having enlisted the Government could depend upon them doing their duty to the Empire. Thanking you in anticipation. I am, etc. COMPULSION.