NEW RECRUITING MOVEMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16667, 12 April 1916, Page 5

NEW RECRUITING MOVEMENT.

NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY-TWO REGISTRATIONS TO DATE.

The result of the new recruiting scheme after an existence of 19 days is that 942 men have been registered, and havo been dealt with by the medical and dental officers. The men passed as fit number 278, and 258 have been rejected as unfit. The latter number appears very large, but it is to a considerable degree accounted for by the fact that many men, conscious of defects, are now presenting themselves in order to sccuro the -badge of exemption. Tho temporarily unfit number 406, and of these about 215 are dental cases* These men will be fit when their teeth, havo re : oeiyed" attention. As to the operation cases, it is reasonable to assume that a fair number of Jit men will bo secured from this quarter. The following table shows .the results of the new recruiting' scheme since its inception :—

Fit ... 278 Unfit 258 . Teeth 215 Operation 118 Treatment , 73 Average number of recruits dealt with per day, 49. / DISCUSSION BY BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL. At the meeting of the Bruce County Council yesterday a, circular was received from the secretary of tho National Recruiting Board, asking tho council to purge the roils of the eligible men in the county, in order that men who had already responded, and those who had not yet registered might be known. Tho Chairman said that only one man, had left , that district for the Fifteenth Reinforcements. ■ He contended that they should try to induce the young fellows to look ahead and say to themselves "Here we are in- a tight corner, and wo must-go and fight for our King and country." He' felt sure that/ a good number ot young men had only to be asked, aiid they would respond quite well. He would even go •the length of getting card? and sending them out to thoso who, in h'is opin.on, should le, able to go tot the front. He thought that every single man, fit and able, should ■ fight |for his country. Or King said , there were quite a number of young fellows shifting about the country from place to place in order to escape, doing' their duty. He was certain there were men who were avoiding military drill; He had a man; on his own place \v4io he believed was doing this.. , ; Cr Driver said tho Government had the names of these young fellows, and it was shirking its responsibility by trying to 'get the council to do this work. He objected to being asked to make a personal canvass. i Cr Scott said he understood from the. Hon. Mr Allen's recent address that the object was to get councillors to purge the rolls, and then send them on to the. Defence authorities. The' Chairman 6aid Mr Allen went farther than that. Ho said it was the duty of everyone to urge eligibles to go and fight; Cr Scott: They are simply shuffling fki? on to the local bodies. Cr King: If they want a man who. has stolen a coat they get him quickly enough, and they could get these men if tney wanted to. Or Scott: The public are doing their share as far as I can see, and let the Government do its share. Cr King;: The Government is doing a let of good in getting men, and no one can say anything to the contrary. I quite a.grce with what has been said by Cr Scott, but wo should not do or say anything that will hamper the Government in any way. Cr Scott: I don't wish' to do that, but I maintain strongly that the Government should do all tie work it is asking us to do. Or King moved—"That cach councillor obtain a copy of tho roll compiled by tho Defence' Department, and check alj the names contained therein of men in his riding and add tho nameg of those in his district which had not been inserted in tho roll, and when this had been done that tho rolls be sent on to the proper authorities." Or Clark seconded tho motion, which was carried.

KURIWAO PATRIOTIC SOCIAL CLUB. A patriotic social club lins been formed in the Kuriwao district, with a view to making presentations to men who have enlisted and are enlisting. A largo number of friends gathered at the Willowburn homestead recently to bid farewell to Mr A. Shead andi Mr R. Rogerson on the evo of their .departure tor Trent ham. Mr C. Capamagian ,mado a presentation of a, wristlet watch to each A very enjoyable evening was spent. On March 28 some 60 friends gathered at the Kuriwao School to .moot.-Messrs Saunders and Rout, who have also left the district, and who were on final leave. Mr T. Livingstone- presented Messrs Rout and Saunders with safety razors, suitably inscribed. The patriotic club has sent to Lieutenant W. R. DougaM and Corporal J. Walker a present of safety razors, and Gunner O. L. Gilmour a case of pipes. Lieutenant Dougall and Corporal Walker went with the main body, and CJ-i•• i' Gilmour with the 4th Reinforcements. if

Word was received in Waimato on Fridety (says the Advertiser) that Lieutenant G. 0. Dailey, who left for the front with the Main Body, has been promoted to tho rank of captain.