THE CALL FOR MEN

Otago Witness, Issue 3214, 20 October 1915, Page 51

THE CALL FOR MEN

NEW ZEALAND’S UNDERTAKING. A BIG TASK. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 13. Tho Defence Minister announced in tho House on Tuesday night that the Now Zealand Government had undertaken to send still mere men to the front. What this new call will require of New Zealand was elicited by inquiries to-day. First of all, it means that wo have to send into camp between now and the end of the year nearly 12,000 men. The mobilisat'on of nearly 6000 new recruits is nowin progress, and, apart from these, 6000 other rew men are needed before the year closes. If we get these men the dawn of 1916 will (according to defence headquarters) find 15,000 troops training for active service in our military camps. The numbers in training, called up, and to be called up this year are: Now training 3,500 Being mobilised 5,800 To bo called in November ... 3,500 To be called in December... 2,500 Total 15,300 Already we have despatched 27,000 men to the front, so that by the end _ of tho year the call on tho country will have amounted to 42,000 men, shown as follows : Gone to tho front 27,000 For immediate training ... 15,000 In a recent analysis of New Zealand’s military requirements the Dominion assessed

tho country’s net total of fit single men at 90,000. Working from that basis, cur now altered position may be re-examined. The examination indicates that our supply of single men is sufficient to last ua till the middle of 1917. These are tho figures:— Single men 90,000 Men raised by end of 1915 ... 42,000 Single men for future 48,000 We aro to send away 2500 men per month from January onwards, so that our future efforts may be mapped out as follows: In 1916 30.000 January to July, 1917 ... ... 17,500 ’ Total 47,500 Add men raised to end 1915 42,000 Mon raised by July, 1917 Tile estimated number of fit single men, therefore, seems sufficient to last till and including July, 1917. So much for the future. For the pr’esont the need is as many men as can bo obtained. The calling up of the October forces will about deplete (he registers of recruits, and 3500 men must go into camp in November, 2500 iq. December, and 2500 in every following month. These urgent requirements must bo fulfilled, and tiic defence authorities are nerfoctly confident that the men will bo secured. It is reckoned that Now Zealand will now bo doing as much as England. Hero we aro asked for 2500 monthly, and in England 30,000 weekly aro required. In proportion to population these calls aro about equal. Now Zealand has been tho last part of the Empire to lower its standarde. In Australia, England, and Canada smaller men have been accepted for some time. Tho reduction of tho standard height to sft 2in .and tho increase of tho ago limit from 40 years to 45 years should considerably accelerate recruiting. While tho defence authorities aro confident of getting tho men. they know" that the urgency of the need of men must be made quite clear, and it is understood that a great recruiting campaign will bo undertaken very shortly. Tho reserve of men which Now Zealand is to raise will number 1000, and it will be called up as part of the November force. Afterwards tho reserve will servo" to absorb men who, through illness, etc., have missed considerable training and to fill blanies caused by such men being delayed through being put into the reserve. DEFENCE MINISTER’S APPEAL. HELP BY EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATION. WELLINGTON, October 15." In response to an appeal by the Minister of Defence to employers of labour, the Advisory Board of the Employers’ Federation urges all members of affiliated bodies to render all the assistance possibe to expedite recruiting. It is suggested that all men between 20 and 45 years of ago who arc free to do so should bo given every facility to. enlist, and encouraged to do so by being informed; — (a) That special treatment will be accorded those who go to war when they return. (b) That those who should go and remain behind will not secure the same advantages as those who enlist. (c) That, wherever possible, part wages shall be paid during the period of active service. The board adds; “In view of tho fact that 2500 men will bo required each month for at least a year, it is evident that all sections of the community will require to assist, and it is felt that this federation should do everything possible to assist tho Government in fulfilling its obligations.” APPEAL BY MR MASSEY. WELLINGTON, October 18. The Prime Minister to-day issued the following appeal to men of military ago throughout the dominion: “Wo are now entering upon the most critical period of the war, when each and every part of tho Empire must make a special effort to send men and munitions to the front. Field-marshal Lord Kitchener has stated in no uncertain terms that he wants both of these essentials., and that with a sufficient number of the one and an adequate quantity of the other tho Allies will hold the war in the hollow of thenhands. New Zealand has done nobly up to the present. Her sons have enlisted as soldiers of tho King by tens of thousands, and when tested on tho battlefield they have, by thc-ir splendid gallantry and achievements, already created an imperishable record of bravery. From the hillsides of Gallipoli and from the trenches, where gallant men aro fighting for the honour and prestige of our race, an appeal has now come to their comrades who are still in New Zealand with such force that few of British Mood will bo able to resist. The call has come from leaders of tho Empire so clear, bo strong, and so persistent that no man worthy of tho name can hear it unmoved. I know tho appeal is not being made in vain. I know the response will be worthy of tho manhood of this country, but let mo say personally to every man of military ago whoso responsibilities to his dependents do not compel him to remain in the dominion that it is his bounden duty, in justice' to his country, in justice to his fellow New Zealanders who have died fighting for honour and liberty, and whose bones rest to-day in foreign soil—nay, in justice to himself as a citizen of the Empire, to respond in a courageous and patriotic spirit to the urgent message from our kin across the seas, and to say to the military authorities of the dominion in the words familiar but impressive; ‘Here am I; send me, send me. ’’ Eighty recruits enrolled in Wellington today. SPECIAL RESERVE CONTINGENT. (Feom Ooh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 15. Tho Minister of Defence stated to-day that the Government has decided to comply with the Imperial Government’s request lor a special reserve contingent of 10 per cent, on the main forces. The Government is going to provide a 10 per cent, reserve for the mounted rifles and the infantry. This will mean a standing reserve in New Zealand of 1000 men. These extra men will be called up in November, when 5500 men will be required, and 2500 men per month thereafter. The men from the reserve will be drafted into the force as required, the reserve to bo maintained at its original strength, so that there will always be 1000 men available na an emergency. HELP BY LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN. AUCKLAND, October 15. At a conference of leaders of squadrons

and troops of the Legion of Frontiersmen | throughout the North Island it was decided not to press the request that a separate unit be formed, but to continue to draft to the forces all the eligible men, and to suggest that tho men might be permitted to bo together. It was decided to ask that they go into camp immediately on enlistjng, and, if necessary, the legion will estabbsh training camps under area officers, tho pay of the men to start on going into camp, Tho legion is prepared to receive in camps recruits other than members of the legion, and it also offers to conduct efficiency tests under war conditions when requested by the department. ~ PRELIMINARY TRAINING. In order that those men passed ns medically fit for service may feel that the time _ elapsing before they ' leave for the training camp is not lost or wasted. Lieu-tenant-colonel Stoneham has arranged to find competent instructors who will give them some military training if they care to attend for that purpose. Until they leave for camp, the Defence Department has no control over them o oi tncm - RFOT?TTTTivP ttc q'TTTr woiiT r c!TTfTOti KJ.UhL.IHNC IN THE WORKSHOPS. A series of recruiting meetings arc being held in tho various workshops and factories in Dunedin, the keynote of such meetings being the serious nature. of tho task of the Allies and the necessity for men and still moro men. A meeting was held at the Dunedin Engineering Company’s workshop on the 13th inst., when about 250 men from the company’s works, Messrs Sparrow’s and M‘Gregor’s foundries and Sargood’s factory were addressed by Mr H. D. Bedford and the Rev. C. Eaton. .