COMPLETING CENSUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16097, 10 December 1915, Page 9

COMPLETING CENSUS.

ADDITIONAL RETURNS. 65,409 MEN BETWEEN 45 AND 59. ! fa* telegraph.—owm correspondent:.] Wellington', Thursday. The war census work is by no means completed yet. The figures supplied have be prepared first because they are required for a special purpose, but there is other valuable material vet, to be made available. Subsequent returns show that la T een the ages of 45 and 59 there are 69,409 men who have sent in cards which have not yet been classified. This brings 9o£r,™ "umber of returned cards to ii 4 These figures do not include schedules incomplete in essential details, ■which have been put aside for inquiry. THE RECRUITING SYSTEM. CHANGE FORESHADOWED. DETAILS UNDER DISCUSSION. . The position of affairs in the Dominion in regard to recruiting was referred to yesterday in the course of an interview by Colonel C, M. Gibbon, Chief of General Staff. He said that on the figures contained in the last weeklv progress report issued it was estimated there would he a shortage of 300 infantrymen for the eleventh reinforcements, 'if the South Island was not able to produce these men— it must be remembered that shearing was not finished in Canterbury— the North Island ought to help to makts up the shortage. Auckland had done splendidly, and so had Wellington. Hawke's Bay had produced the most pleasant surprise, fullv 60 per cent of the Wellington quota having volunteered from that district. The best recruiting districts in the Dominion at the present time were Hawke's Bay and Taranaki. It was understood that the Defence Department _ was now considering how recruiting in the coming year could best be organised. Details were being discussed and, In the meantime, the eleventh and twelfth reinforcements were being raised by the same system as that adopted in the past. New Zealand was committed to find a certain number of men at stated periods, and had never yet failed in her obligations.

STAFF OFFICER'S VISIT.

TRTBUTE TO TUNNELLERS. INSPECTION OF CAMPS. A visit was paid to Auckland vesterdav by Colonel C. M. Gibbon, Chief of General Staff. He arrived by the morning's express, and in the forenoon visited the I Tunnelling Company of Engineers now in camp at Avoudale. He referred to the Itunnellers as a very fine body of men, who should do credit to New Zealand. I They would hold the unique distinction |of being the first complete unit of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to reach England. They certainly had a great task to uphold in person the reputation that New Zealand troops had already gained, according to reports, in the Dardanelles. The New Zealand soldiers seen in England so far had only been a few who had been wounded or invalided. The Maori camp at Narrow Neck was inspected by Colonel Gibson after lunch. He expressed himself as very pleased with all he saw. and said. that" there was a fine lot of Maoris in training. Later in the afternoon he visited the Walsh Aviation School at Orakei. Colonel Gibbon, who left for Wellington by last evening's train, was accompanied in his visits of inspection by Colonel J. E. Hume, O C , Auckland District, and Major J. E. Duigan general staff officer. Captain J. 0. Allen, of the Motor Reserve, conveyed the party in his car. RECRUITING IN WAIKATO. j DISTRICT ORGANISATION. CONSCRIPTION FAVOURED. TbT TELEGRAPH.—OWTf CORRESPONDENT. 3 Hamilton, Thursday. A meeting of representatives of various parts of the No. 4 group area was held here to-day for the purpose of reorganising the district for recruiting purposes. The chairman of the local Patriotic Committee, Mr. A. E. Manning, presided. Major Northcrott, officer commanding the group, said until the amalgamation of the patriotic funds the recruiting machinery within the area was working quite smoothly, but now the various administrative centres had been circularised upon the matter of recruiting by the Mayor of Auck- ! land, who could not "possibly know the precise position within any of the indivi- | dual groups. It was, therefore, necessary to formulate some definite scheme of operation to avoid overlapping. The chairman said that until September i the group had completely supplied the quotas required, but a shortage occurred in October, due to registered men being unable, for various reasons, to leave with the draft. The shortage was made up later. - The position at the present time was that 25 infantry were required before next Tuesday. Of this number Auckland had promised to supply 10, leaving 15 to be recruited locallv. Mr. A. Swarbnck said some confusion had been created by the organisation of the province for war relief purposes. It seemed to him that this organisation was I for one purpose only, the securing of funds for the relief of wounded soldiers, and had nothing whatever to do with recruiting. It was suggested that the committee should apply to the Government for particulars of the military registration within the group. By having these particulars available, it was thought they might be better able to approach the men who had agreed to serve. Several delegates doubted whether the confidential nature of the registration forms would permit of the details being made available for recruiting committees. It was decided to adhere to the present military group organisation, with Hamilton as the centre, other towns within the area to be subsidiary centres. The secretary was authorised to apply to the Government for the names of those men in the No. 4 group who had expressed their willingness to serve with the Expeditionary Forces. Mr. Somerville, Te Kuiti, considered that by this resolution they would be penalising the men who were willing to serve, and ! would bo practically "hounding" them into the force while not in any way troubling the shirkers. The question of recruiting from the conscription standpoint was discussed, and the conference decided to urge the Government, in view of the present national necessity, to immediately institute a form of national conscription.