NEW ZEALAND RECRUITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15949, 21 June 1915, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND RECRUITS

SYSTEM OF TRAINING.

SATISFACTORY RESULTS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Wellington, Saturday. Of late many suggestions have been made respecting the New Zealand method of training recruits. The Defence authorities' experience of the system has been stated by tho Chief of 111© General Staff. Ho states that the system has worked splendidly, and that thero lias nob been a single hitch from the outbreak of tho war to the present time. Every force wo havo required has been raised by the time it was needed, has Deen got into camp 011 time, trained on time, and despatched on time. The system of taking tho whole of the men for a draft into training at ono and the same time has mado for greater efficiency and greater economy than any scheme of taking In men as they enlisted. If men were allowed to go straight into camp when they enlisted, recruits would be going into Trentiham every day, and a result of that would bo that, among other tilings, the Defence staff would not bo able to train nearly so many men as they are now handling. A member of the headquarters staff pointed out that apparently New Zealand is much better off for recruits than Australia. The Dominion has not had to alter its age limit, its height minimum or its chest measurement minimum.' Australia has made all these standards easier. Men are taken at sft 3in, with 33in chests, from 18 years of ago to 45, and in cases up to 50 years. Recruiting in New Zealand had, so far, been very satisfactory. The present strength of the New Zealand forces was 12,000, and that was being welt maintained, and, apparently, would have to bo maintained for at least another 12 months. If the war lasted as long as it was expected to by some authorities, New Zealand would eventually send more than 50,000.

WELLINGTON QUOTA.

J MORE THAN SUPPLIED. [JIT TELEGRAPH.— correspondent.] Wellington, Saturday. There are sufficient men on tho books of the Wellington recruiting office to fill the city's requirements up to, and including, the thirteenth reinforcements. This means that men who enlist here to-day are enrolling for the fourteenth draft, unless men are drawn from here to make up shortages elsewhere, and no shortages are Apparent at present, or unless many men who have enrolled fail to parade when called up. Tho fourteenth reinforcements ate due to go into Trentham camp in Augu.it, 1916, and the men cannot, on present arrangements, get to the front till six months later. Therefore the men who enlist in Wellington to-day appear to have prospects of seeing the war by February, 1917. The city offico has now enrolled 4452 men sinco the outbreak of the war.