OTAGO MILITARY DISTRICT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21383, 10 July 1931, Page 2

OTAGO MILITARY DISTRICT

RECRUITING VOLUNTARY FORCE A meeting of the Recruiting Committees of the various units in the Otago Military District was held in the Officers’ Club rooms last night. The units represented were: 12th Battery, 14th Battery, Otago Regiment, and Otago Mounted Rifles. Major 0. H. Mead, N.Z.S.C., presided. The object of the meeting was to formulate a system of recruiting for the voluntary territorial force in the Otago district. _ _ • “I realise we have a hefty job in front of us,” said the chairman, “ and we cannot get far unless we have a co-ordinated policy. If we do not get that policy there may be friction between unite in regard to getting recruits. It may not occur, but that is a thing we have to avoid. Unless we have a common groundwork on which to base our plan we will not get the results we wish.” The chairman said that up to the present no public appeal had been made to the young men to come forward, and it was time tow that something of that kind ought to be done. From reports and requests that had come to him he thought it would be possible to obtain the men required for the various arms of the service. The meeting then entered into a general discussion of the situation, and a number of suggestions were made. It was resolved that circulars be sent to ex-mem-bers of various secondary schools, to those members who are in the reserve, to cadets who have normally been posted to reserve during the last year, and to young men who are likely to offer their services under the voluntary scheme. A publicity committee was appointed to draw up an advertisement for publication in the daily press, the committee to consist of Major J. M. Samson, Captain R. H. Cleland, Captain H. S. Jones, Captain R. K. Sleigh, and Second Lieutenant J. Green.

It was decided that offers of service be returned by July 31.