A RECRUITING QUESTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17273, 14 September 1916, Page 11

A RECRUITING QUESTION.

TO THi EDIT!) B Sir,—l was under the impression that all men enlisting for active service were compelled to undergo a thorough, medical examination. Such does not seem to be. the case. A lot of farmers and farm labourers seem to be exempted from medical examination. I know of a good many cases of this .sort. Take the cases of a farmer and one of his fnien a short distance from Christchurch. The fnrrner himself is a fine, strong, robust-young man, twenty-eight years of age; in fact, one of Christchurch’s leading athletes—yet he wears the unfit, badge and was never medically examined! Also one of tho same farmer’s labourers wears this badgo and was not examined by a doctor. _He was asked if he had over had any military training and replied “No.” Tho result was that ho was sent..this badge on condition that ho worked on a farm or station. Now, if these same two men had gone to Christchurch and enlisted they would liow have been in' camp at Foatherston or. Trentham. Ido not think this is fair to tho other boys who are giving their lives for their country. The military authorities wonder why the recruiting falls off. Why does the Minister of Defence allow this to go on? These labourers come to town and brag about how they got their unfit badges. Asked if they passed the doctor, they reply: “ Oh, no ! not necessary—work on a station, you know. I have heard some young men say : Why should I enlist? So-and-So is wearing a badgo. He is a much stronger chap than me, and yet he wears that badge without passing a doctor’s medical examination. Tf I enlist I shall pass and I do not think it fair.”. . Now, this sort of thing does no good to the country’s cause. If this is the sort of business the present Government are doing, the sooner we have an election tho better. We want Ministers ' and members who < will do the straightforward business and none of this sort of thing that is going on now. Trusting some abler pen than mine will take this up.—l am, etc., FAIR PLAY.