NEW ZEALAND & THE WAR.

Mataura Ensign, 13 January 1916, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND & THE WAR.

THE 12TH REINFORCEMENTS. COMPLETE DRAFT ANTICIPATED. PKB UNITED' PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELUXGTOX. .lan. 12. Defence Hoadquarteis was able to report to-night that the Wellington military district's quota lor the 12th Reinforcements had boon . sent into ramp complete in all details. There ivas a shortage, of infantry recruits in the Wellington City draft, hut it was covered hy recruits sent from other parts of tlie district. Recruiting in the city has been particularly good dunnm the last day or two. no fewer than 12 ruen passed as medically tit being registered at the Buckle Street office yesterday. The city has been called .upon i'or many men lately to fill gaps in oanip. particularly in connection \\.th the 11th Reinforcements, and this fad is believed to explain the s' or tage reported on Tuesday when the 12th Heanforcements were mobilised. Auckland's quota for the Villi Reinforcements, eons.sting ot some 6(H) men, reached Wellington to-day and was - reported to be strength. The 'Canterbury draft is due here tomorrow and the Otago dratt wdl arrive on-Friday. The exact position will not be known until mobilisation is complete, hut there is reason to believe, - - that the 12th Reinforcements will be; to full strength by tlie end of week. The Defence .Minister mlormed a reporter that the response to the call I'or tlie 12th Reinforcements had been very Mill eh better than in' the case of the 11th. He hoped that when mnh'lisation was complete on Friday it wonld he-found that the rank,, of the latest reinforcements had keen filled and that the Defence Department was u> have no anxiety on that score. The shortacre. reported i« connection with the

11th had been allocated to ihe vni-iom districts, and he was inform.d thai Hi< ' Wellington district had found nwib. n!! (ho men leqiiivrd livm ir to I'd the gaps in that draft. The extern oi the response from other districts hac nor y:n been reported but he hoped x< have' both the 11th and the 12ih Re ; n I'nroenienis complete within a week." SOCTH LAN D ~ MRS FAR FAY FLLED The Southland contingent of the 12tl Reinforcements was olficially farewell ed in the .Municipal Theatre. Invercar gill, last evening. The .Mayor (Mr I) AleFailane) presided and said lie wa.> certain that those who had gone be fore them had made a name for them selves as the ';raves t of the brave that would never die-all the world over. H< knew thai the men of the 12th Re inforci merits would uphold /.hat nam. and that thev would do their duty. Mr Kustace Russell said that New Zealandefs had on the football grotiiu learned to plav the game, and he w:r sine the men' of the 12th Reinforce nients would do the same trom tin tune the whistle sounded until the ca! for time was made. (Applause.) Oi behalf of the residents of not onlv In vercargill but the whole of Souihlant he wished (he men God-speed and ; safe leturn. Lieutenant Myers said that. the> must have men in finish the war. Hi had I'ouuht with the hoys from South land, and they had all fought bravely i'l'lip motto they wore wa, 'Brave unt< death." He appealed for recruits t< lil!-up the Otago .shortage of :VA men ii tho Villi Reinforcement.", and 30 in tie 11th Reinforcements. Hefore closing the meeting do Alayo again addressed the men, and said tha in the name of the people of invercar jgill and of Southland he wished then j the best of luck and he hoped he woiih have the opportunity of weleoniinj i Ihem back. The National Am hem was then sunt and at the call of Mr Eustace Russel! three hearty cheers were given for tin men of ihe IL'tli 'Reinforcements am more for the men at the from. The men left bv the first express to [day. TIM ART FAREWELL. TIM ARC, Jan. 12. Men for the 12th Heinforcenionls lef-to-day, Tmuini sending ">(">, Waiinat' 12 and Temuka seven. Speaking at Timaru. Mr .7. Craigie M.l'., appealed, to pligiblcs to come for ward and avoid being driven. He wa; in favor of conscription. He had beer told by returned soldiers that if the. 1 had to go back again they wou'd no associate with conscripts, and he be hcved they meant it. and that con scripts would be looked upon with con tempt by the volunteer men. THE RECRUITING BOARD. WELLINGTON. Jan. 12. The Prime Minister stated tn-nigli' that-.a temporary secretary to the Re eruiting Hoard would be appointed al most at once. The Hoard would the) get into communication w.th local bod ies with a view to the early organisation of recruiting committees. Alpha betical lists showing the men of nidi tarv age would be available earlv uex' week. " RETURNED SOLDIERS. ROTOR CA CONY ALFSCF.NT HOME ROTORCA, .lan. 12. Pukeroa Hospital for convalesce))' soldiers was onened th'.s afternoon' hj G. W. Russell (Minister .for Pub lie Health). Two thousand neoile wen 'oreseiit. Local Maoris presented L'lo' •ior the pui'cliavp of a piano and roller top desks for the hospital. Addresses were delivered bv Hon.s. A L. Herdnii'.n. AY. H. Herries. I)r Pom are. Sj r Carroll. \V. Hill (resideni officer). »nd several Maori chiefs. Hon. (•'. AY. Russell said thai tin following' gifts loul been made t< the institution: —Wnirarapa, .£IOOO Hawke's Ray. £1000: W'aiigatiui. £7.";0 Salvation Arniv, (j-".(!0; (Ji.sborne. .£2">o Timaru. £100; I nvercargill. £2oo. H. uihlors.too:l tliat tile Rotorua people liac raised for siek aiul wounded sol dieis. Ho 'would like to know where i wa.s no that he might get some of i for the Pukeroa Hospital. He an noiDieed that Mr Clark, of had given a )nolor-<-ar: .Air Gillies, o' Rotorua. a billiard table, and that tin j ladies of Auckland and Wellington ,in< | the Blenheim Patriotic Association ha. contributed towards the e(|uipment o' lhe institution, which will accommodat. •100 men. WAR PENSIONS. WELLINGTON. Jan. 12. At its la;-t imeting the War Pen | sions Hoard granted to members 10 pen j sions ;i.iul 22 allowttiues. three aplioatlon.s being tleclined and live adjou.-nc<l to tlie de;endents 20 ortisioiis and om allowance were granted, four beng de dined end one adjourned—total. Hi pensions tsi'-d 2:1 allowances granted seven ayjilications declined, and -six ad journed" Up to date -111 pensions, representing an annual value of £20.277 have been granted. Of these (k'> wen granted to soldiers, DM to wives, includ nig children, and to other dependents. The average pensions are as fo! : 'mix: —Soldiers £•">(>: wives (ineludiu:.' children). other dependents. £2!) Riglity-eight allowances have beer <'r : mti?d to date. representing £2lO- - OS. DEST BRIGADE ON PENINSULA. NF.W ZKALANDERS PRAISED. WELLINCiTON. Jan. 12. "Aly brigade wa.s magnificent," writes Brigadier Johnston in a letter I referring to the laic operations at GalI lipoli. "'New Zealand mothers may hold their heads high: indeed, we can all be I proud of our countrymen, and I thank j God I am fighting with them with the Mounted Riiles. AYo made the best brigade on the Peninsula. The men are I fine and well trained, yards ahead <]f ■ some others. It is the right policy to ! train ihen: in New - Zealand and onlv ' send the men to us when they are fit ! io go into the ranks. The Maoris, who have been handed over to me. arc good fighters and hard worker.s. and are also hap'py and contented.'