SOLDIER QUOTAS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 491, 6 September 1915, Page 8

SOLDIER QUOTAS.

MR G. FOWLDS COMPLAINS

SOUTH NOT DOING ITS DUTY,

UNDUE STRAIN ON AUCKLAND. Press Association. AUCKLAND, September 6. In a speech at a farewell social in Auckland to Lieuts. Hattrick and Fowlds on Saturday night, the Hon. George Fowlds said that excessive drafts of men were being taken from Auckland for the Reinforcements, because of the failure of Otago and other southern districts to make up their proper quotas. He expressed the belief that this mainly resulted from the failure of the Minister of Defence —himself an Otago man—to make it clearly and widely .known that Otago had come far short of supplying its fair proportion. The onlyfair basis of recruiting was to take the population of military age in each military district, and allot the number of men required for the Reinforcements to each district, according to that population. If Auckland, or any other district, had to make up for the deficiency from, the other districts, then let the exact shortage be made known. ' He had noUoubt that a speedy and effective effort would be made to wipe out the stigma of failure. The matter was of great importance, because the present system waf putting an unfair strain on the resources (of Auckland.

POSITION IN CANTERBURY.

QUOTAS ALWAYS FUEL. •,:; When the above telegram was shown to Colonel Chaffey, officer in command of the Canterbury Military District, he remarked" "that Canterbury quotas had [always been full. Obviously, the northern critic intended Canterbury to be included , i in his criticism, as there were s only two South Island military districts, —Canterbury and Otago. Formerly, the military authorities apportioned a quarter of each draft to each of the four military districts,' without respect to population. This gave Auckland, with its larger population, a big advantage. Now each district is . called upon for a draft, having' regard to the population of the district. So far, Canterbury had been able to have in readiness a few more men than were necessary for each . Reinforcement draft. .