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Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 283, 30 November 1915, Page 2

THE CALL FOR MEN. <

1MK B ?««I

DEFENCE MINISTER'S REFERENCES.

Additional infantry recruits are for ihe 11th Reinforcements,, which are due .to go into camp _pn December 14th. Tlio Minister for De^ fence (Hon. J. Allen), who returned from tlio north at the end of last week, mentioned this subject to a New "Zealand Times reporter on Saturday, rind said that he would like the men who were :ible to volunteer at this *ta"ge to understand that there was a tall for them in connection with the next draft of reinforcements. Some -of thß branches had a surplus of recruits notably the ambulance and the Army' Service* Corps, but infantrymen ' had not been coming forward as fast as. they were needed. Even Wellington city, which had a - particularly fine record, had not been providing infantry recruits as fast as they were wanted lately. Very few men had been left on the books after the 10th Reinforcements went into camp, this fact being due in part to ihe failure of a certain number of em-ol'ed men to respond to the call on that occasion, and it was evident that xnpriiitmg for the infantry and mounted rifles would have to be stimulated if the district was to fulfil its obligations promptly in December. Tlie recruiting of men for the ambulance and the Army Service Corps was suspended recently, the men already ■on the lists being sufficient to cover all requirements for many months to come, and recruits who had offered ihe3nselves for those branches and had heeii accepted were invited to transfer -to the infantry'or mounted rifles. The response to this suggestion, the Minister stated, had not been large «p to the present time, possibly because the men did hot clearly under--KtrmTd the position. Each reinforcement consisted ai?ainly of infantrymen -xnd ninanted rifles, the number of men required for the other branches being comparatively small. Recruits who iiad offered* themselves for the overcrowded, branches might be kept waitins: for many months before they were -called into camp, while men who had rome forward much later were getting into' the infantry and mounted rifles without delay. "Recruiting ha,s slackened off in the Anckluric! district lately," said, the HTpiister. ''My'own impression is that thf Auckland people have concentrated their attention lately on their /\-iy»;val,. to raise money for the sick j«.«v*"Vo?nided. and that the oil for re<rr:nfq has hoe-t temporarily over-*.h;>.-'T.vo/J. But lii°. liorihfji/ district done its share in providing men (

for tho Expeditionary Forces,- and 1 I have no doubt it,will continue to do so " ' 'THE EMPLOYERS' PART. , ''While I was in Auckland* I attended a conference of employers with tho object of placing the requirements of the Defence Department beiore thorn and learning what thcir^ needs were," added the Minister. "We want the employers to endeavor to arrange choir businesses co that the men who have volunteered may .be able to get away. I asked them to assist the Department and promote recruiting by places open for the men who go to the front, by paying part salaries, and by generally keeping the soldiers' interests in view. Employers throughout the country can help in these ways, and I hope that they will all'recognise'their responsibility. THE^QUQT?A SYSTEM. X

: Referring to the '!singe .in the quota system, the Minister said that the district drafts for the next Reinforcements were being called up on the basis of figures prepared by the Government Statistician, showing the number of men of military age in each of the military districts. Previously the quotas had been based.''.upon .the number of fit recruits on the books of the Department in each district, the various areas being called upon to contribute in proportion to the number of men enlisted ;ahd; waiting the call to camp. "I am'"not satisfied myself that tho figures the Department is working on at the present time are correct,' ' said the Minister. v ' 'When the National Register is complete we will know how many men of military age there are in each district, but in the meantime it is. by no means certain that accurate calculations can be made on the basis of the ordinary census returns." . ■ '

THE TUNNELLING CORPS

The Defence Minister mentioned that during his visit to Auckland he had inspected the Native Reinforcements, in chiding the Raratongans and Niue Islanders, and also the Tunnelling Corps. Tbis corps, which was r.earing the end of its period of training in this country, was in excellent form, /and he had no doubt at all that it would acquit itself well when it got to the front. The men would go to England first for additional training, and would proceed later to the point where their services were required. The natives were making, progress, but there '-van a good deal to be done yet before they would be ready for service. The men had to be accustomed to military clothing and to food of the kind they would receive at the front, and difficulties had arisen in connection with their lack of knowledge of English.