MORE MEN WANTED

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9173, 13 October 1915, Page 9

MORE MEN WANTED

REINFORCEMENTS TO BE INCREASED IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER REQUEST FROM THE ARMY COUNCIL. DRAFTS WILL GO FORWARD MONTHLY

‘An important statement re the Expeditionary Forces was made in the House of Representatives last night by the Defence Minister (Hon. J. Allen),. The Minister told the House that the Army Council had requested the Dominion to increase its reinforcements, and explained how the Government proposed to meet the now demand. He stated that drafts would" be dispatched monthly instead of bimonthly. The Hon. J. Allen said he had promised to make a statement regarding the forces that had gone away before the House adjourned, and ho proposed to make it now. Perhaps it was well that ho should lot the House know the number of men that had been sent away all fully equipped. The total number that bad sailed to date was aproximately 28,000. In about ten days’ timo the number that would have been called up, which would include those sent away and those in camp would be 38,000 men. There were a few other numbers which he proposed to give which he thought. would bo of interest to hon. mefiibers. We had sent; away also 187 fully trained registered nurses. In addition to those' 1 there were some other nurses who had gone. Home-on their own initiative, and the ‘New Zealand Government was still trying to have these embodied in. the New Zealand army nursing service. In addition we had sent away 1029 medical officers and field ambulance men, and in February iye had to send 130: more, making a total of 1159 medical officers and ambulance- Of medical officers 95 had sailed and seven would go inHebruary, making a total of 102. We had also sent special postal units to the number'of twenty. He would like to, call attention to the fact that although the’ main body sent away from New Zealand only amounted to some 7800 men, the dominion had added to this force.to date other units'which made the main body , in which reinforcements had to bo sent, just up to 14,200 men. In this he included the two extra battalions of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He regretted to announce that the casualties to September 27th were--Killed 1017 officers and men, died of wounds 451, died of disease 162, making a, total of 1630; missing 638, prisoners of war 20, wounded 4327. The total casualties, therefore, amounted to 7146. Of this number there would be returned to New Zealand by the end of this month somewhere about 2000 sick and wounded, leaving, therefore something like. 2357 men in hospitals in England, Egypt, or Malta. A BIG TASK. ■.

emergency, the New Zealand Government are making arrangements

to dispatch the Bth Reinforcements in November instead of in December, and the 9th Reinforcements in January, instead of in February. These two reinforcements will receive twelve and thirteen weeks’ training

respectively. Subsequent reinforcements will go' through the. full eighteen weeks’ course of training, but their departure will he acceler-

ated by six weeks.” Mr Allen added that although the troops were receiving only twelve or thirteen weeks’ training here, they would get additional training if it should be necessary in Egypt. He hoped that the training might be so effective that even with this shorter, period the troops would be in condition to go to the front. more men wanted.

A further telegram from the Army Council was as follows : ‘Tan Hamilton and General Birdwood have considered the question of reinforcements likely to be required in 1916 to replace vyistage, - and-we recommend following monthly in advance: Infantry, mounted rifles, artillery (gunners only), engineers, 20. per cent, of units, 7 per cent, remainder. This is calculated to meet normal requirements only. To ensure that exceptional demands aro supplied without drawing on partially-trained men, it would be necessary to keep a further .reserve of 10 per cent, to meet special emergencies. ■ Had it nob been for the generous offer- of the New Zealand • Government to consider the question, we should have hesitated to put forward a request for so large an increase. We shall be extremely grateful for whatever the New Zealand’, Government is in a position to do , towards meeting our requirements.” The Army Council cabled op another date:

It is fully realised here how greatly unexpected demands interfere with your arrangements and increase your difficulties. Every effort will be made to avoid their recurrence, or, at any rate, to give the earliest possible notice.. The hews that the New Zealand Government is arranging to expedite the dispatch of Bth and 9th Reinforcements and to accelerate departure of subsequent reinforcements is most welcome.

The Minister said that he knew members and the country would not hesi- ’ tato to meet these responsibilities, because they would feel, as they, all felt, that the country: would respond:^- Members would assist the National Govern-’ ment. in giving effect to the desires of the Imperial authorities. Cabinet had considered the question of the increase from 15 to .20 per cent, in the rate of reinforcements, and had agreed to ask the country to provide this increase. With respect to the 10 per cent, special further ■ reserve that also had’ been under, consideration, but no definite conclusion- had been arrived at. He had no doubt that the Dominion would be able to make arrangements to provide the whole .of this special reserve, as it would rather add to the efficiency of our training, than otherwise. It would not mean many extra men going, probably only’ about one thousand under the proposals now being-considered. : THE MEN AVAILABLE. Before coming to the conclusion, it was the Government’s duty to’ ascertain what men were available. He wished to place before the House the figures disclosed by the census of 1911. The number of men who might.be available, the men between the age of twenty and forty years, were as follow:—Unmarried men, including divorced men, 112,000; married men of military age, 79,000; widowers, 1546—a total of 193,254 men of military age. It might be expected that out of this number of men the Dominion ought ten be able to supply the additional number to be required during the next twelve months. They all hoped that the war would come to an end before that time. But the Government thought that the time had come when the regulations as to physical fitness should be altered, and it was proposed to reduce the height from sft 4in to sft 2in, and to increase the maximum age from forty years to forty-five years. He had come, to, the conclusion, and so had the staff, who had been-in close touch with him and with the CaßThet, that New Zealand could say yes to the Army Council’s request. It was a large order, but the task the Empire had on hand was <L big one, and the magnitude of it was realised by the Parliament and the country- ~

Hon, members would realise that it was a fairly large task for this country to keep up reinforcements on a main body of something over 14,000 men. but he did not think that, the country would shirk that responsibility, and ho was pleased to be able to say that although the newspapers reported a shortage in Wellington . on account of the quota of one of the units to go into camp , this montfi, the shortage, was more apparent than .real. There was on explanation for it, and he count assure members that there were quite sufficient men to make up the numbers, which would amount to about 6000 men altogether. Hon. members would remember , that the pereantage of reinforcements per month had been varied from time to time in accordance with she desire of the Army Council. At the very 'outset the Government of .New Zealand intimated to the Army Council that they desired that the Army Council should never hesitate to , call upon - this oonntry for whatever the Council really felt was needed. , Recent communications from the Army Council he thought he should communicate to the House, because they were now calling’ upon the Dominion, or they would call upon it in 1916, for a higher percentage of reinforcements. Ho would .place on record some of the correspondence. On September 21st a telegram had been dispatched to tne Army Council as follows: The New Zealand Government have from the outset been of opinion that their reinforcements should ho efficiently trained before leaving the Dominion. They have been confirmed in this policy by reports received from Egypt and from the Dardanelles.

Mr Allen said he would pause here to let hon. members know what had been the practical result of the training as illustrated by the sth Reinforcements. Hon. members would recollect what the Fifth had been like when they left New Zealand. “The Dominion had been very proud of them then, and had still more reason to bo proud of them now.” He read the following extract from a letter from General Godley :

The last lot of reinforcements (the Fifth) arrived while, the fight was actually in progress, and Johnston (Colonel Johnston) tells me that as they arrived to join the brigade they were at once dispatched to capture a Turkish trench, which they did most gallantly, and without the slightest hesitation, and held it to the end of the battle. They were Auckland men.

It only remained for him to ask hon. members to assist the Government when they went to their homes 3n the matter of recruiting. He hoped that every member of Parliament would get into touch with the recruiting agencies already existing in his own/district and Would assist those recruiting committees to the best of his ability, realising that the country owed a duty to. itself at this time and that the Dominion owed a duty to the Empire. THE RECRUITING SYSTEM.

Mr Allen said ho had read the letter because ho wished members to know what the effect of the New Zealand training had been. The Government had been confirmed in its policy by reports received from Egypt and from the Dardanelles. He would give instances of recognition of the value of the training of the New Zealand troops by'very high authorities in the but he did not think this was AJ'-V-essary. Hon. members would iak!;.'i'Us word for it that the country had ‘ every reason to be satisfied with the work of the training staff and of the men. The Minister proceeded with the telegram to the Army Council as follows: “The New Zealand Government would therefore be glad if the Army Council would give them as much notice as,possible, in order that they may adhere to this policy. In order, however, to meet the present

The Minister asked the House to accept the assurance he gave with regard to the Dominion’s system of recruiting. There had been some questions raised about the method of enlisting men and bringing them into camp. He had not had his ears shut to what had been stated that there were men who gave up their work although the Government told .them to remain in their work after they were registered until they were called bp. There were others who had asked that the Defence Department should bring the men into a training camp immediately they registered. He wished to repeat that the Defence Department had considered the whole question, and had come to the conclusion that the policy followed up to the present, which had been so successful, should be continued. What the Government desired was that all differences of opm-

ion should be put aside and ho wished hon. members to take his assurance that the policy of the past was the right policy for the future. If men were brought into camp individually the country could not have the same degree or organisation and thorough training as it had to-day, when men were brought into camp every two months and started on a definite scheme of training. This scheme nac. been carried oat, and he thought carried out with great success. Ho hoped these demands for subsidiary camps in local districts into which men could bo brought immediately after enlistment would not be pressed, •because there was not sufficient staff Tor training them. The Minister emphasised the importance to the country of ’men remaining at work until called Up. / CHANGED METHODS. The alteration agreed to by Cabinet involved considerable changes in the method of bringing men into camp. He had already informed the House that the Dominion would have a maviuiura of 10,000 men in camp at the one tim,e. Under the new proposals there would be 12,000 men in camp. The alterations which were proposed with regard to training would do away with a great deal of the difficulty of men giving up-work notwithstanding their instructions. What the staff proposed to do now was to send T’. ln " forcements away every month. Men would be brought into camp eiery month, and wen would be sent away every month. It was proposed to bring into camp in. the present- month 6000 men, in November 3500 men, it the proposal for the reserve was agreed to, in December 2500' men, and in ,every month during the next year, It would be possible to provide transports for these men. , AN APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM, iln calling up men it would be the Government’s endeavour to .see that men were not taken from industries which were providing for the needs of men at the front, from t ie-wooden mills and boot factories for instance. He believed the Dominion could get the men by the will of the people without any power" Or force of legislation. If the people throughout the country realised how much was asted cf them they would respond to the, tall. . Were that not so then, as he 'aad publicly stated, and af the Prime Minister had stated, - the National Government would not hesitate to take-tae further step which none of them would wish to take, the step, towards compulsion. 1 do not think that will ’ be' necessary, added the Minister.. “I think that we can get these men by appeal to the patriotism .of the public. \Ve appeal to the men of ; military _ age * qnd especially: the unmarried,, men, who ought to respond, first, -to come forward in the service of. the country and of the Empire, and of the freedom •that we all cherish.” -