THE NEW WAY.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13657, 28 August 1916, Page 4

THE NEW WAY.

WELLINGTON'S SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE. MEN WAITING POR THE LAW. -./ WELLINGTON, August 22. , The Wellington City draft for the 20th Reinforcement- went into camp 50 men short of its full quota this morning. ' Other districts may do better, and there seems no reason at the moment to anticipate a general shortage for the Reinforcement, But the experience ot Wellington is regarded as significant. The group officers wanted 180 infantry recruits to provide l'ull quota, and they called up rather more than 200 in order to be on the safe side. The number.of lien who actually .paraded was 12(i, eo that over 70 meu who had registered and had been accepted for service failed to make ail appearance when called up for training. Inquiries suggest that in some cases at 'any rate the reason for this failure was the impending forma-, tioii of the Expeditionary Force lieserve under the Military Service Act, The men felt that now the.Government had power to take the men it needed in fair sequence, the reinforcements were bound to be maintained and they need not go into camp out of their I urn." Speaking to a. correspondent today, an officer of the staff said -that no volunteer ought to imagine for a- moment that his Services imre not now required. The army would 'rather have volunteers than conscripts, and in any case compulsory, enlistment• was not yet possible in Now Zealand, since the necessary machinery had not.all been provided. The rolls had to be prepared, the appeal boards'constituted, and othcT. details'attended to before the Defence Department ceased to be 'lepeudcnt.iip-. on the voluntary system, and in, the meantime the reinforcements had to be maintained. . .