THE 19TH REINFORCEMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 17794, 26 July 1916, Page 5

THE 19TH REINFORCEMENTS

A DOMINION SimriA’f!. .MI! .MASSEY’S MESSAGE. (By Telegraph.! WELLINGTON, .Inly 25. The registrations for the 19th Reinforcements, which mobilise for training this week, show a dominion excess of 98 over normal requirements. The official figures of the enlistments, for the Infantry, all other arms of the service being full, as at date of Friday, the Hist inst. are as follows: — Auckland military district, an excess of 1. Wellington military district, an excess of 75. Canterbury military district, an excess of 32. * Otago military district, a shortage of 10. Or a total dominion excess of 98. At the same date 1158 infantry had registered for the 30th Reinforcements, which is due to mobilise for training at the end of August. As the normal requirement for infantry for each fourweekly draft is 1816 men the present registrations for the 20th leave a shortage of 658 men to be found In the coming month. The Anzac troops are now taking a glorious part in the stirring deeds of the present great western offensive, and it is not necessary for me to remind every fit and eligible man in the dominion of the urgent call that dally comes from his comrades and fellow citizens in France to step forward and fill the gaps in the ranks. We read that the Germans are wondering how great are the English reserves, because they know that the continuance of our offensive will depend on our reserve strength. Let the military manhood of this dominion, by keeping up a steady (low of reinforcements, demonstrate 'to the enemy that our reserve force is sufficient to continue the offensive until a definite victory is achieved. It will be a truly glorious achievement if we can maintain our flow of recruits by voluntary enlistment, but maintained they must be, whether by the voluntary principle or by bringing into force the compulsory powers contained In the Military Service Act. W. F. MASSEY, Chairman, Recruiting Board.