THE NEW ORDER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17285, 28 September 1916, Page 6

THE NEW ORDER.

In tho various recruiting offices throughout Now Zealand men are now sworn in for service as soon as thej have passed the doctor, and each man accepted receives a cash payment of five shillings. Indeed, every man who is sent forward for examination is given this payment, whether he eventually proves fit or unfit, which is quit© a large concession after the stubborn opposition of the Government to the prompt swearing-in policy. It should bo fully understood that the receipt of this sum of money is not in principle an equivalent in any way to tho “ taking of tho King’s shilling.” It is simply a compensation for loss of time and inconvenience which a man, may be put to in offering liis services to the country—a tangible recognition of the State’s obligation to the volunteer. We do not imagine'for a moment that a payment of this sort is going to make much difference, if any, to'the progress of recruiting, but, coupled with the administration of tho oath of allegiance, it will tend to remove tho impression that was always possible, if not actually encouraged, under the old system that the higher authorities wore rather indifferent. It has boen tho oaso too often that a man volunteering has merely had bis name taken down and has left the recruiting office with tho idea that tho Stato was less keen than himself about tho whole matter. The swearing-in locally instead of at the training camp will do a great deal to remove that impression, and tho new method has tho obvious advantage of keeping the defence people correctly informed of the progress of recruiting for* the different drafts of reinforcements. Mo understand that the leformed method is working very well in the Christchurch, recruiting office. Mon who firo obviously unfit for service aro declined at the outset, saving time and bother and expense ill useless examinations, while tliose who appear likely, or to have a chance, are put through the doctor’s hands without delay. Tho oath is then administered, and the volunteer is booked definitely for tho particular draft which he desires to join. This method is so much more sensible than the old that tho wonder is how it took over two years to bring about. “While on this subject, it is fair tq, sny that, our comments on Tuesday in regard to the initiation of the new scheme appear to have been a little sharp. We made it plain, of course, that tho local staff was not involved in our censure, which was directed at the central authorities in Wellington. It will bo noticed that the Minister has expressed to our Wellington correspondent his surprise that there should have been any trouble, and ho. was evidently of opinion tliat the necessary attestation forms bad been distributed throughout the Dominion in time for use last Monday. So far as Christchurch is concerned, at all we aro glad to know that was the case, and, although there was a littlo delay iu the morning, quite a number of vol-

unteers were attested that day. The fact that a partial holiday was observed on that day, for the anniversary of New Zealand’s acquisition of the status of a Dominion, assisted towards a little misunderstanding, hut happily tho recruiting work \yas not seriously affected and tho new method is now in good working order.