ONLY FIFTY-THREE SHORT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 13, 16 January 1912, Page 7

ONLY FIFTY-THREE SHORT.

MILITARY CENSUS RETURNS

So far as the officers of the Defence Department are aware, only 53 of those liable for military training under the compulsory provisions of the Defence Act have refused" to register. A general balancing up r-i statistics has just been completed in <each of the four military districts, with the following result,. set out in an official report from the General Officer Commanding the Forces (Major-General A. J. Godley, C.8.;, to his Ministerial head (Sir Joseph Ward):— "In December, 1909, a return.showing number, of youths of each year of age was supplied by tho Government Statistician, based by estimation on the result of the previous census taken in 1906. "On these figures th© defence scheme of 1910 was based —as to regjs- j triition—to , establish and maintain j the defence force of the Dominion, <?s follows:— , , ■•','.:..••. Senior Cadets. Territorial Force. Ages. Nos. .Ages. Nos, 14 to 15 9,764 IS to 19 10,096 15 to 16 9,211 19 to 20 10,408 16 to 17 9,628 20 to 21 10,096 17 to 18 ,9,628 ' •",'..";::. Total 38,231 Total 30,600 "T2ra. result; of census, taken in Apiil, 1911, now shows the numbers of youths of each year of age to be as follows:—Senior Cadets. Territorial Forces. Ages. . No*-. Ages. Nos. 14 to 15 9,125 •<■ 18 to 19 9,028 15 to 16 8,733 19 to 20 9,197 16 to 17 8,927 . 20 to 21 8,555 .17 to 18 8,913 Total 35,698 Total 27,0fe0 "With this presumably correct esti,in ate compiled by the Government Statistician from the 1911 census th 3 position as regards registration is that up to December Ist, 1911, out of 35,698 senior cadets liable, 30,313 Tiave registered, and that out •of 27,080 Territoria-ls liable, 28,435 have registered. • "Referring to the Senior Cadets and the" fact that 5385 have not registered, this is due to the reason that, about that number of lads between the ages of 14 and 16 are still attending primary Esohools, and: by the Actare deemed to be Junior Cjadbts until date of leaving the primary schools. Thus the /youths of Senior Cadet ages are practically accounted for. . ■..■•''■"'■■' . ■ * ' ,\' • ~-■■■

"It must be noted that more men «f the ages of 18 to 21 registered than a-re shown by the census return of 1911 as: liable for registration.. "The Defence Deparfiaentoo far is only aware that 53 persons have refused; to register. There may probably be more, but in view of tlio statistics- now available there must- le very few throughout the Dominion who ttire not registered and accounted for. '

It is worthy of note that, as indicated above, the .registrations of' Territorials are nearly 1400 '-more than the number oi those liable, and that there is no error in what might seem, at first glance, ;to be a discrepancy in the figures. The presumption is that these 1400 have voluntarily registered, though that is ?<>" y«t known fm- certain. If so, it is an indication of the feeling of ti-e -«ountiy which can only be i*garde<l as gratifying. . •