QUESTION OF REINFORCEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17089, 22 August 1917, Page 5

QUESTION OF REINFORCEMENTS.

EXPLANATION BY SHI JAMES ALLEN. , SYSTEM OF GRANTING COMMISSIONS. TRAINING- FOR 02 MEN. (From Our Own Corbespondzkt ) . WELLINGTON, August 21. » * • 1 r? ler " n & to , the reinforcements question in the House this evening, Sir James Allen said that the New Zealand Government *. i ae X er ' except on one occasion, sungested that the quotas should be increased, ihe Government had simply provided reinforcements on the scales laid down from time to time by the War Office. Tho Im- ' penal authorities had made request* which Mow Zealand had carried out A Member: Mow than carried out oir James Allen: No. .Members: You have formed a new divi- *

Sir James Allen: We have formed a new brigade out of accumulated reinforcements' at the express wish of tho Warv~ umce, and against the opinion of the New Zealand M.rnster of Defence. I am not - able to disclose the correspondence which took place. The new brigade was not being reinforced. Reference had been made to Australian reinforcements. The facts, as disclosed by Mr Hughes, were that Australia had been asked to provide 16,500 men per month to reinforce the five Australian divisions, but the Federal Government had - tailed to carry compulsion, and the necessary men were -pot forthcoming. That was . why the Australian reinforcements' quota , had been reduced to 7000 per month. Ha understood that the commonwealth was not getting even that number of recruits. Was it to be said that New Zealand, with a, * clear request from the War Office to gmda & to loll ™ the example of Australia! Ihe Minister had letters which he had received from General Birdwood in 1915 " urging the need for adequate reinforcements and said that he felt it his duty never to allow tho New Zealand Division J to fall below strength. The extra brigade has been formed for a special purpose. Mr Young: What is the special purpose*' bir James Allen: I am sorry I cannot disclose everything. Certain information is submitted to the Government which is confidential. I am not at liberty to state ' what the special purpose wasi, The rednc- > tion of reinforcements from >15 per cent. < to id per cent, per month was the result of - the experience of tho summer campaign, improved organisation, increased ammunition, and strengthened artillery have made * our casualties lower than was anticipated. ihe Minister explained the system of granting commissions in the Expeditionary !r torce and reinforcements. The fact thai ierritorial officers were not receiving undue consideration was shown by the fact that flirst Division Territorial officers were at - present competing •in camp for a limited number of opportunities as second lieutenants. The unsuccessful officers would revert to non-commissioned rank. Members of the New Zealand Forces * wero being granted many commissions in the Imperial and Indian Forces. J.here had been some grumbling with re- ' gard to commissions in the Reinforcements. The fact was that the re-"" duction of. reinforcements had created a' surplus of officers in camp, and only five " commissions had been available for the -. rwenty-ninth Reinforcements instead of the~ expected 20. One other commission had since been mrvdts available. He believed that the method of allowing commissions was fair. The choice was made after the " examinations had been completed, and after " the responsible officers had made independent recommendations. The ' Minister pro, ' ceeded te> deal with questions arising from the ballots under the Military Service Act He said that 20,608 of the men drawn in the hrst nine ballots had been olassißed as unfit, most of them being classed C2. A special training camp had now been established at Featherston in order that some of these men might be given courses of *- training and treatment calculated to fit them' for military service. A special staff had * been appointed, and two expert instructors -one of them a New Zealander—were 1 "* being brought from England. The medical history sheets of all the men were being' examined, and the men who might be made ht by treatment would bo drafted into the camp. If they became fit they would go into the reinforcements, otherwise they would be discharged. He was informed that probably from 1500 to 2000 of tho men at present m the medically unfit list would 5 bo made available for service. The men whose appeals had been adjourned sine die would bo called before the Military Service ' Boards again, and their cases would be reconsidered. The boards would have to give - attention to the needs of the industries of the country. If a man' was essential to his industry, and his industry was essential, the boards probably would allow his appeal > ihere had been a certain number of defaulters, xhe lists of defaulters already published m tho Gazette contained between-' iSOO and 1630 names. He was informed * that between 800 and 900 of the men had been discovered, and that 300 or 400 had been. found to be available for service. There were about 3000 defaulters who had not been served with notices. Probably tho, military authorities would be able to account for a good many of them. He would make an announcement oja the snbieotl shortly. - J *