RECRUITING.

Southland Times, Issue 17664, 23 February 1916, Page 4

RECRUITING.

lu looking over the Wellington papers we observe that in an article on recruiting printed in this place a few days ago we misrepresented the attitude of the Wellington City Council with respect to the Government’s new recruiting scheme. In referring to the strong feeling in favour of compulsion manifested in the discussion of the Recruiting Board’s proposals hy public bodies we said that the Wellington City Council had gone so. far as to refuse assistance to the-new recruiting scheme on the ground • that nothing should be done to delay the adoption of compulsion. This resolution was attributed to the Wellington City Council by us in error through misreading a telegram. It was really passed by the Fox ton Borough Council, a much less influential body, and we are glad to note that the members of the Wellington City Council, putting private opinions on one side, have taken up the Recruiting Board’s scheme very heartily and are setting to work in a very systematic way to make it a success. As we have frequently said in this place the mere fact that one’s private opinion favours compulsion should not deter one from doing everything possible to assist in this effort to make the voluntary system a success. A conspicuous example in patriotic duty was set to all by Lord Derby, when, though an enthusiastic supporter of compulsory national service, he accepted the position of

Director of Recruiting in Britain, an took upon himself the organisation c the great effort to obtain the numbe of men required for the nc~ armies b: voluntary recruiting. That is a: example in patriotism which conscrip tiouists and compulsionists in thi country may well follow. In connec tion with the Recruiting Board’s ne\ scheme the Mayor of Wellington i; following a plan which might hi adopted with advantage in other ceu tres. On his initiative all the loca bodies in Wellington held a conferenci to discuss recruiting, and a strong central committee was formed tx organise and co-ordinate work in th< city and suburbs of Wellington and th< neighbouring districts. Wellington li getting to work with the new scheme in a business-like way, and it is highlj probable that a conference or local bodies in each district would be useful to those upon whose efforts the success of the scheme depends. The Board's proposals have been well received by local bodies In this district, but so far all of them have acted independently. Co-operation will go far to ensure success, and a conference in Invercargill on the lines of that recently held in Wellington would, we feel sure, serve a useful purpose.