THE CALL FOR MEN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13698, 31 May 1915, Page 7

THE CALL FOR MEN.

A COMPLAINT AND Till ii ANSWER.

(Special to Herald.) AUCKLAND, this da.y

"They talk ot' a- shortage of men lor the front. There isn't any shortage. I've passed the doctor. Mr character's good, and the Defence (J'ilice tells me they've so many men waiting to go that my turn won't com*! for weeks, and already I've been waiting eleven weeks.' In this , way an active young New Zealandef introduced himself on entering the reporters' room at the Star 'oflice. .' . It was 6ft-. 3in. in height, 21 years of age, with a chest expansion of inches/ and withal a- sturdy son of the soil. He seemed to be in earnest about his, treatment by the Defence Autliiorities, so a- pressman Suggested that he should accompany him to the Defence O'ih'ce, and there repeat his statement before- the recruiting sergeant- ma.jor. The would-be soldier was qiute willing, and a visit ivas accordingly made to Rutland sti'eet. There the 'man told his story'.

"My real complaint is that I saw the statement made by the Minister for' Defence; in which he declared that ev.e.ry district was short of men save Wellington, .and that Auckland required 4t>o men to make up its quota, i reckoned that to be good enough to go on, so 1 sold up- my farm at Opiiawhanga, W'Hangarei,"and sold olf my cows, numbering .tlvirty,' and brought my wife to town, in order that I might get away with\th"is quota, Avhich the Minister said *liad to be made up by May 28. When 1 got here 1 passed the doctor, but was told that as there were any amount of men 1. couldn't get .away until August. That means that I've -got'- to, hang round town for two months, and bo out of • pocket £16 or £20. \Thestatement made by the 'Minister and others made me feel'that/ I .had no fight to be at home. No,\v I'm here, and find I'm not wanted." The man's case appeared sound enough, but the reply given by the olticev shows ■ that ■. there are>'two sides to a story. To begin with, the Minister's statement, applied to what* was believed to be the position in the early part of the month. In reality there has been no shortage of men in Auckland, and Auckland has not only made up its own quota of 3800 men. since the war began, but Jias provided over 1000 men wherqwith to till tne gaps in southern centres. In regard to the May. draft from Auckland, which left. on Friday there was no shortage. On the contrary there were on Saturday morning 160 men on the books who have been passed as fit for service* -In the case of this particular man from Opuawhanga, he did not enlist really until three days ago and was only- partially passed by the doctor on .Thursday .night, so that while his zeal is to be commended it is not considered: 'by the authorities that there is any real cause for complaint on his part. The requh'ements of each month have been plainly and frequently stated, and in season and out of season the Defence authorities have endeavored to impress on the men anxious* to enlist that they, should not give up their, employment 1 -untii-they receive a formal notification that they are due to go into camp. ,: . Men, the authorities add/ are wanted, and will be wanted, for' Auckland, will be asked to- send a.sfaya thousand men of all units every two months for the next nine months, and if this district;- has. to .make "up shortages in .other districts as it has had to do" 'ever since' the 'Vat commenced the call /or men in. Auckland will be even greater,, go that the , giant from Opuawhariga must simply wait his turhj and -may rest assured that once the call f.or the new reinforcement draft is made he 'won't have to wait lon £- ' ■•■'