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New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9095, 14 July 1915, Page 9

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RECRUITING QUESTION MEMORANDUM FROM THE GENERAL STAFF. T.ATD BEFORE PARLIAMENT. In the House of Representatives yesterday the Minister for Defence (the Hon, James Allen) laid on the table a “ memorandum on tho provision of reinforcement drafts for the expeditionary force.” The document was signed by Colonel C. M- Gibbon, Chief of tho General Staff, and was brought down by the Minister in reply to tho suggestions that have been made for the increase of New Zealand’s contribution of men for service at the front. REINFORCEMENT DRAFTS.

“It must be realised that tho reinforcements which are sent from Now Zealand are not intended to increase the size of the expeditionary force in the field,” states the memorandum. “Their role is to maintain that force in the field at full strength, and at its full fighting efficiency at all times. Casualties, whether caused by deaths, wounds, sickness, Or strain, must be made good by efficient and fit men within a few hours, otherwise defeat may be the result. The principle laid down in the Field Service Regulations of tho British Army is that reinforcements must bo available and ready to replace wastage before casualties occur. The scale of wastage, calculated from the experience of past wars, has proved to be an under-estimate, and New Zealand has had to increase her efforts accordingly* There w-as a tendency in the early part of the present year to criticise the necessity for such large .reinforcements to' be sent before the expeditionary force had seen a shot fifed. Actual events, however, in the Dardanelles have shoWn the wisdom of the policy laid down by the Army Council. ... “But -New Zealand has not limited herself to providing reinforcements on this greatly-increased scale. She has, in, addition, provided many new units subsequent to the dispatch of the main body of the expeditionary force. It must not be lost sight of that all these new units require reinforcements on the same scale as those units which aocompanied tho main body. For instance, the scale of reinforcements required for infantry is calculated at 180 per cent, per annum. If, therefore, a new battalion is offered, it means that almost two additional battalions must be provided as reinforcements for that one battalion tor each year the war may continue. If at any time thebe may be a temporary surplus of .registrations, great care is necessary before tho popular cry to make an increased offer of fresh troops can be acceded to To put units into the field which waste away for want of reinforcements is entirely opposed to the principles laid down by the Imperial Government for the maintenance of our armies in tho fi'eld. We have to prepare for a war which may last for three years. It Would be an everlasting disgrace to New; Zealand if before the,war came to ah end die had to confess that she could not maintain her expeditionary force in the field. The honour of putting a large number of units into the field at one time would be forgotten in the failure to maintain them there. _ We must prepare for a long war, and it is essential that,wo should: count the cost, ahd make sure that our resources of men are organised in such a manner ns to last to the finish. New Zealand must not be exhausted before peace has been declared.” In addition to the limitation of available numbers there are other limiting factors. They are—(a) Training staff; (b) camp accommodation; (C) uniforms, etc.’, (d) arms. Applications have been made to the Imperial and Indian Governments for the loan of .additional instructors, but without success. To bring in greater numbers than can be dealt with efficiently involves a certainty of -indifferent training. . The accommodation available in eamp : must necessarily limit the numbers of men who can be called in for training at any one time. The provision of uniforms, blankets, and articles of kit was felt as a serious obstacle in the early months of the war. The calculation of drafts month* ahead of the time they are required, and the consequent possibility of letting suitable contracts, has done much to overcome this difficulty. , The Imperial Government, up to the present, has requested that all men of mounted rifles and infantry reinforcements should take rifles with them from New Zealand. As is well known, the supply of rifles in.the Dominion is not inexhaustible, and consequently this has always proved a limiting factor to the number of men which can be offered and trained by New Zealand. Attempts have been made, to procure rifles from the Imperial Government, the Indian Government, the Canadian Government, and the Commonwalth Government', but always without sueLOCAL CAMPS. “The institution of local trainingcamps for the reinforcements of the expeditionary force has been advocated on many occasions,” runs the report.' •Tt is not, however, considered advisable or practical to ■ accede to this request. While Xrentham is able to cope efficiently with the of men under training, there is no necessity to institute local camps, for which it would now be practically impossible to provide efficient staffs. Every staff corps officer left in the country has a definite task to perform in Trenthem camp or in connection with the territorial forces, and sufficient numbers could not be spared for local training-camps. Local training-camps would not only increase difficulties of training, but would also involve extra expenditure. Every concentration camp would require equipment, clothing, and supplies store* and staffs, instead of only one set of stores and one staff, as in tho case of Trentham camp. Another great disadvantage with regard to local concentration camps is that men would not come under the influence of the excellent spirit which now pervades the.Trentham camp. This spirit took at least four months to develop, and that under the influence of the most strenuous endeavour. It is considered that it would he very difficult to obtain, this spirit in local camps throughout the Dominion. “The strengths of reinforcementdrafts are calculated at headquarters on certain percentages which ' have been communicated to the New ,Zealand Government by the Imperial Government Drafts are sent-off ' at re-; gnlar intervals, as thereby a standard course of training is rendered possible. This is not only of importance as

simplifying training in New Zealand, but it also enables the Imperial Government to make suitable arrangements for giving whatever t further instruction may be required before the men are. sent to the front. To send uneven drafts would bo to render the question of further training extremely difficult.” THE RECRUITING SYSTEM. The memorandum describee the system of obtaining recruits, and _ lay 6 stress upon tho_ merits of the existing system of registration under which men are enrolled as they come forward, and then left in their civilian employment until they are required to begin their training as units in successive drafts. If men are called up in excess of requirements, not only does the State lose their labour,, hut also has to provide pay for them. Pnder the registration system no man is called up until he is wanted.. He does not cost the State anything until chat time; he aids the State by continuing at his work. Registration allows of recruits being called up at definite stated intervals in large bodies. It is possible to put them through, a standard course of training, which results in a high degree of efficiency being attained. . The reinforcement drafts are thereby rendered all the more valuable for their service to the Empire. It is also possible to arrange .for preliminary training of sufficient officers and non-commission-j ed- officers to handle those men on) their arrival. This system tends to efficiency, since men readily obey the. orders of officers and non-commission-i ed officers who, by previous training, are in a position to show that they know their work thoroughly. If at 1 any time there is a surplus of registrations there is no need to discourage, men from recruiting, which is a neces-. sity in the case of direct enlistment.' Under the system of registration there is no necessity for continuously altering the recruiting standards, as is the cate with direct enlistment. PROVISION OF OFFICERS. The numbers of officers required for reinforcement drafts are calculated m accordance with the instructions laid down in Field Service Regulations, part 11., section 27 (2) —that is, one officer to forty men. But exact numbers are not adhered to. Only sufficient officers to handle the men are taken. This allows of promotions, as a reward for good service in the ranks, to be made at the -front to replace casualties. and also it avoids premature exhaustion of territorial officers available for service in the Dominion. When the numbers of officers required for a reinforcement draft hare been calculated, the officers commanding ' districts are asked to make their recommendations to the numbers required. Up to the present, officers have been called for in equal numbers, as far as possible, from each district, but in future, in view of the officers that will bo required for the reinforcements of new units over and above the officers required for the reinforcements of the original units which went with the expeditionary force, it has been decided to call for the additional officers required in proportion to the total number of officers available on the list in each of the districts at the Mme the call is made. On receipt by Headquarters of recommendations by districts, the officers finally approved for. reinforcement drafts are directed to report in Trentham on a certain date. All appointments in Trentham camp are only probationary, and officers are' not gazetted to the . expeditionary force until finally approved during the week of embarkation.

Very large numbers of officers are required to'supply the reinforcement drafts in the future. The strain is already being felt. The supply of available officers from the territorial forces is gradually being exhausted. The question of troop and platoon loaders does not afford any cause for Anxiety. There is an inexhaustible supply .of good, young officers available from the ranks of the reinforce* ment drafts, ■ The difficulty is to keep up the ‘ supply of suitable 'squadron* and company commanders. The smallest possible number of suitable senior officers ia called up foe each draft. All

vacancies which may occur in a draft In the course of training are filled up to the best advantage from thwdraft itself. An experimental efiort to train civilians as officers was not suo-i oessful. i

NON-COMMI§SIONED OFFICERS. \ All non-commissioned officers ap-j pointed on probation with the rem-i forcemeat drafts revert, if without prejudice to thef rank of prli vato when joining the expeditionary) force. It would bo obviously unfair to fill up the whole of the vacancies, in the expeditionary force hy men who had not had actual war service, and bo to - block promotion of promising men with war experience at the front-Non-commissioned officers from* each, reinforcement draft are given com, missions to fill Vacancies which may| have occurred in the ranks of the offi* cors during the courae i of training in camp. Commissions will also be given to make up shortage of officers in the establishment of drafts coming -inttf camp. ' These commissions will not, except to meet emergencies, be grant* ed Uhtil about three Weeks prior to the sailing of a draft. At that time the non-commissioned officers will have had almost five months’ continuous’ training in camp. All non-feommisf sidned officers are giVeh full eonsidera*, tion, and every effort is made to-sa4 lect tho best men, who are judged cn-( tirely on their work in camp. In ad* ditiott to being tho best of their draft,' the candidates are required to qualify at an examination for first tnent, as in the case of the territorial!) forces.