IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 561, 26 November 1915, Page 7

IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

UNFOUNDED CHARGES. ' lJ i TREATMENT OP RETURNED V SOLDIERS. . ' -\£ (Received November 26, 8.35 a-m.), MELBOURNE, November 2s. 4 Senator Long, who was deputed by ~- : the Defence Department to enquire- : into "Mr Whifsitt's charges regarding \ ■: retufjjed soldiers, reports that are .absolutely without foundation, ~/: and; in nearly every instance, frivol-" ,Ji oiis.~ H ;Hc deplores the fact that they ■ \Vefe voiced without proper enquiry. , {A. cable message from Hobart at the «nd , :11 of Inst'week stated:—Mr Whitsitt, in alleg- •_ 1. in'g Hf-treatment of wounded men, safd that ' '■ theyvvere forced'to do sailors' work aboard/;-'-, tli'e hospital ship, and when they arrived '.. = were' not admitted 1o hospital without an t \ order, and were told they could sleep ,_. Domain. An'enquiry has been ordered.] THE ADDITIONAL FORCE." IMMEDIATE RECRUITING CAMPAIGN. 'MELBOURNE, November 25. The War Committee considered the ." proposal to raise , an additional . V 50,000 troops, and decided, On the basis of the w 7 ar census figures that -X there are 600,000 eligible men in the Commonwealth, that it was possible to obtain the number. The com-, mittee will initiate a recruiting campaign forthwith, firstly by a postal appeal to all the men of military age from 18 to 44 years, inclusive. Sub« sequcntly a personal appeal will bo made where no response or unsatis* factory answers are given. The local committees will assist in the work. SYDNEY, November 25. The newspapers generally approve of the raising of additional troops, 1 and accept it as an earnest of Australia's determination to do her part ' in shouldering the Empire's burden. The opinion is freely expressed . that so far too big a proportion of , youths have gone to the front, and • that those"of mature age now have to - f face their responsibilities. , LONDON, November 25. .The newspapers give prominence lo the announcement that Australia is raising an additional 50,000 men.