NEW ZEALAND'S LOST LEGION.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13968, 29 August 1917, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND'S LOST LEGION.

With the exhaustion of the First Division within' measurable, distance,'and the confused attitude of lite' Government towards the question of conscribing iw youths of nineteen and perhaps eighteen year:?, the people of New Zealand should demand from the Minister of Defence a lucid, comprehensive and complete ■statement dealing with the strength of' the manpower 'of the Dominion as represented in the Held and in camp, in relation to the numerical strength of our monthly reinforcedraft. Thanks to the persistent demands of one or two courageous newspapers,. Sir James Allen has been compelled to disclose the figures indicating the strength of our forces in the field and in camp, but the particulars so grudgingly supplied are not of material use, seeing that they are incomplete. In the course of a statement in the House the other day, Sir James Allen gave figures as to the distribution of tlip New Zealand Expeditionary Force uii or about August 17. The Minister said that he gave this information in reply ,to calculations recently made by certain newspapers and membei'H of Parliament, On or about August 17 last, lie explained, there were 14,681 troops in England. Of these, 6553 men were at Sling Camp available to go back to the front,' Including the men of tin; Tunnelling Corps, there were at that date at the front 24,320 men. Then reinforcements at Etaples numbered 3114, so that the reinforcements in England and in France were something jes,s than 10,000' men available. There were 355 men employed with other divisions and on lunneller.s' work. There were 3211 men in Egypt and Palestine at that time. The number of men who had returned to New Zealand totalled 10,966. Then; were 8353 men" dead, missing, or prisoners of war. Troops on the water totalled between 6000 and 7000, That, lie said, accounted for 71,500 men. Sir James Allen contended there <,was no ,surplus unaccounted for. Let us see how the figures work out in a simple sum. In the' House on July 11, Sir (James)'Allen informed members that'"we havc v scnt to the fj'piit 7:1,000 men." - How do the *flgiti'cs fpiotgd by Sir James last week compare with lijg statement of the given total of the men dispatched overseas? Here is the r balance-sheet

. July 11. Men gent overseas . r . . 74,00.0 Aiigvifjt 2'i. . ' Division and extras in Fi'micn ?4|320 In Palestine .... . . , , 8,211 Dead, missing, and prisoners . 8,35! i Beturned ■ . 13,000 Balance ...... >. 27,110 ■ 74,000 This sum makes no provision; '~ for wounded, if we allow, say, 7000 or 8000 woundpil, there remain

MflWy 20,000 fit* oW-ib lobe.irqoimluif i'gi in Europe. Wo June also to take into coiisidcution our H'inioL'comunl'j on ronto to tliu front mid the nil']i m cimp in Nuv Zealand Here, again, ue li.iu; Bii' Jumos Allen's' own ytatement,' given on July 11, that, mcluding the moil, now in training, uho number 9024, the total men sent to the war and in canip amount ito 86,402" Bd'ing.om calculations upon the Minister's figures, we. obtain the following arresting information: ''"■ ■ ' • ' 'July 11. Men Sunt overseas nnd in camp .86,402.

' ' . August 21. In Prance, Palestine,'dead, and returned \ ... . . . 4G.SS4 Sick and wounded (say,) . . 7,500 Balance (fit'soldiers) "'.•,'.. v ; 32,01s

■', ' 86,402 There is,'then, a'lost:legion of 32,018 fit soldiers to rfecount fpr. These figures shpw that, outside hospitals, rest camps, and the tiring line, there are surplus reinforcements somewhere in France and in the camps of New Zealand making a very large force, totalling over 32,000 fit men in khaki, available for 'reinforcements. These should be •remembered, take no regard of the large percentage;'of wounded who return to the tiring line. Where, then, is New Zealand's lost legion? Sir James Allen should be compelled to answer this partiiicnt question. Before this country allows the Government to call one member of the Second' Division into camp, or lay hands on a single.youth nuclei' twenty years of age, the Minister should be forced to'say what has become of New Zealand's lost legion of 32,000 men as well as undertake to round up' the lost legion athome, namely, the thousands of defaulters who are slinking about this country, dodging their military responsibilities and successfully evading the clutches of the military authorities.