DOMINION RECRUITING

North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13505, 29 February 1916, Page 7

DOMINION RECRUITING

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER.

GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE

DEFINED.

(Per Pkij Association)

AUGKLAND.-February.27. The policy of the Government in regard to voluntary and compulsory recruiting was clearly defined by the Prime Minister hi an interview to-day, He discussed the subject also during a speech at Pukekoho on Saturday, and on both occasions declared that.if the Government'is unable to maintain reinforcements for th,e Expeditionary Force with will, 1 not hesitate to iutroduio a,form,of.compulsion. "The Government is determined to give the voluntary- system a thorough trial," suid Mr Massey. ''Up to the present 50,000 New!Zealauders liuve taken up arms, and so far we have not been a man short of our obligations, iu view of that result in so small a country I do nut thiiik.it can-be said that llie voluuta'ry system has failed. The position of the- Government is, however, perfectly.clear. We have undertaken to send forward every'month a certain number of men and the 'Government determined that its-promise shall be fulfilled to the last man, Months ago, at it meeting iu the Town Hall in AVellington, 1 said .that if reinforcements were not maintained by vohiutary methods there would'hono'.liesitatiou .or hanging backon thepart ofrlhe Government. The policy of. the ■Government has not filtered. Men must be found, nndjf the present methods'fail Parliament will bo asked to provide tho necessary legislation to enable the Government to enforce some .'form of compulsion." Many local authorities whose assistance; has been', asked by the' Recruiting 'Board have passed resolutions urging the Government' to introd,uco conscription! Commenting on these resolutions geuerally Mr Massey said that it was unnecessary for public bodies to record such resolutions-as the .position was so plain. There could be only one course if tho'voluntary system failed. As lie had stated, -it could not' be said that it had failed, nud the Government, through the Recruiting' Board, had asked the local bodies of the Dominion to assist it to the best of their ability.

' Mr Massey], added that preparations for the campaign wcro proceeding satisfactorily. As far as possible members of the Government would give their assistance to local bodies.

A suggestion had been made that the system of enlistment announced by the Recruiting Board "would permit independent single men to enlist,for reinforcements months ahead, so that the authorities would have to call on- men. with dependents for the earlier, drafts, Definite provision had been made by the Recruiting Board to prevent such a result. Volunteers who register 'for a definite reinforcement will be asked to name a draft iWhicli will be called up within a comparatively short period. Mr Massey explained that any mini who offered to enlist only after an unreasonably long period will not bo accepted. Such men must be regarded as unwilling to enlist.