REINFORCEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17904, 25 September 1918, Page 7

REINFORCEMENTS.

MAINTAINING NUMERICAL STRENGTH.

[From Own CorbestondextJ

WELLINGTON, September 24.

Tho Forty-sixth Reinforcement draft, which was mobilised at Trentham a fortnight age, was when summoned for concentration numerically strong. This allowed, as has been the custom, for a moderate percentage of recruits who would have their mobilisation dates deferred by Military Service Board decisions, sickness and other causes. On concentration at Trentham. however, the draft more than fulfilled expectations, the number of men excused for failing to parade being remarkably small. Therefore tho comp authorities wore able to transfer a number of men to form the nucleus of the Forty-seventh Reinforcement.

This posting of men to drafts later than - those for which they were summoned has led to an impression outside tho camps that more men have been summoned than were required, and that recruits due to enter camp in succeeding months may be granted further leave. This impression is quite erroneous. The drafts summoned for September and October wore strong, having regard to the reduction in reinforcement rates, which operated from Ausrast, but the November draft_ is email. There will be no concentration whatever in December, and the draft for January, 1919. is also a very small one. Thus it is necessary to make provision in camp, in order that reinforcements dispatched regularly from New Zealand may at least be kept up to present strength, even if no sudden acceleration of the rate of dispatch is called for, as in March last.

The Defence Department attaches great importance to the principle of sending troops away fully trained, and with the uncertainty of shipping this reonires that arrangements must be made to have recruits in camp, so that they may he trained and ready for dispatch at short notiee.