THE CALL FOR MEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16519, 20 October 1915, Page 3

THE CALL FOR MEN

MIDWAY RECRUITING MEETING. DEFENCE MINISTER SPEAKS. AJarge number of the male employees of Messrs A. and T. Burt, J. and "W. Faulkner, Brineley and ; Co., and Schlaadt Bros, mustered in the foundry of • the firat-men-'tionedifirm at'l p.m. yesterday, and Colonel Stonetiam, the Hon. J. Allen, and the Rev. W. A. Hay addressed them,, making a strong appeal to such as weri in a position to enlist to do so.' The appeal was made in pursuance of the scheme which has been initiated for urging men in their own. places of business to join the colours., Colonel Stoneham presided. The Chairman, said it was fully realised that necessary productive works should not be disorganised. But in all manufactories they were some men who could be dispensed, with, even.if they had to be replaced with somewhat less competent hands. That was, part of, the sacrifice that employers had to mate, and they .had responded very well to the necessity. ' He would .mention one firm alone—that of-Messrs A. and T. Burt. Thirty-seyen men had already gone from itsbranch in Dunediri, 29 from Auckland, 3 from Wellington/and 1 from Christchurch; (Applause.) It was necessary that the full sympathy of employers should be enlisted, and he could assure those, who went away that nobody whonr= they left behind would gj unprovided for. Mr. Hay said that any man who was free to go and yet .stayed behind must; feel all the<rest of. his days that he had lost his claim" to be called a man. The appeal was' being, made specially to the single young men without dependents, and he.thought there should be some, system of classification by which such men could be called on first. Personally, as a married man, he was willing to go when the young single men, without, responsibilities, had gone—(Applause.) . "I would not dare to come here and speak to you on this subject-if I were not l t doing all I could'at this time, and if those who belong to roe had not done their duty," said the Minister of Defence. "I have not spoken anywhere with regard to my son,' but I, want to allude to my own sacrifico to-day. It is a great, sacrifice to lose perhaps tibe most promising boy one has. but I have made that sacrifice perfectly .willingly. He' was a young, unmarried man, he went" to do.his duty,- and he set,an example io other young unmarried men." He hak been killed in action, il am, proud of him, and I would be proud to know that every other young unmarried man in New Zealand had taken the same chances. I have another son, who cannot go. He is a clergyman, , and has disabilities that will not allow him to volunteer, bat he would go if he could. He has been a. tremendous consolation to me, and has led me to. see that when one loses a son, if he had led a good lifft and shows good promise for the future, he is not really lost, but he, and others like him, are making the; foundation of the New Zealand of the future. I do not believe there are shirkers in-the community. Some are hesitating because they do not think the time has come. But 'I appeal to the unmarried meru -There must be some; very great claim on' them to, keep them back' at present; It is .their duty'to go before' the married men. New Zealand has done well. The volunteer system has proved an efficient one up to:-the present, and Heaven send it may continue so! But. if it does not,_ there is only one; course. We cannot lose in this war, and if we. oan.iwin it only on a system of compulsion then compulsion must come, but.never with my -wish." ... Continuing, Mr Allen advised those present to stay in their employment till called up, promising'them: ample notice. 1 The system of training, he said.; had proved satisfactory. . The 'Fifth Reinforcements had gone to.the front without any further training'in Egypt, and the day they landed on Gallipoli , thev' occupied trehches fli the enemy. •■ and held them. He warned them that the position of the shirker when, the war was over would be a most unenviable one, and concluded by--exhorting those who were eligible to ioih their comrades at tho front and assist in maintaining the liberty that flourished under the British flag.— (Applause.) ■'.'■■'•'' At the conclusion of the' meeting . seven men handed in .their names, and a number [ took away registration. cards. v '