RECRUITING RALLY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 861, 13 November 1916, Page 9

RECRUITING RALLY.

FILLING THE GAPS. CONCLUDING MEETING. The recruiting campaign which has been in full swing during Carnival Week came to a conclusion on Saturday evening in a rally at the Colosseum. Prior to the commencement, several bands played stirring tunes outside, while the C.D.C. band gave several selections in the building. The Mayor (Mr H. Holland) presided, while with him on the stage were a number of gentlemen who had been actively associated with the recruiting campaign, and also a number of returned soldiers.

The Mayor referred to the need for voluntary enlistments to complete the twenty-third Reinforcement which had resulted in the campaign having been instituted, and stated that nearly every amusement manager in the city had allowed his theatre to be used during the week for the purpose of recruiting addresses. 'ljb.e Recruiting executive had also circularised all local bodies, in North Canterbury. Some success had been obtained but in the city alone, 3G recruits were still required to make up the present shortage. The •Minister of Defence had allowed the time for voluntary recruiting to be extended until midnight on Monday, and the speaker hoped that there would be yet time for the necessary men to be secured.

Three cheers were given lor Hie Allies at the call of Mr J. J. Dougall, who spoke in appreciation of their magnificent service to the cause of ■ humanity. DETERMINED TO HELP.

The Mayor then moved: —"That this mass meeting of citizens of Christchurch expresses its determination to aid the victorious prosecution of the war by every lawful means in its power, and to do all it can to facilitate the tilling of the reinforcements."

In support of his motion, Mr Holland said that the city had done all in its' power to secure recruits by voluntarily means. Surely any right thinking man of military age and physical fitness could not delay going to the assistance of his comrades fighting valiantly at the front, but would prefer to wait until he was sent. The Mayor added he could not understand why the present recruiting appeal should not have secured hundreds of men. The motion was seconded by Mr C. E. Bevan-Brown who made reference to the pride which New Zealand would always feel in the | achievements of her sons in France. | They in.France were fighting for a better Empire; a better Europe. MEN NECESSARY. The fact that the people of Australia and New Zealand hardly yet realised the immensity of the world struggle, was emphasised by Sergt. Seymour, a returned soldier. The presence of the audience that evening showed, however, that it realised that it did not realise, but was prepared to do its share. In the settleraent arising out of the war, those | who had not stirred a finger to help j the Empire would no doubt want to j have the chief say. Despite, however, the opposition of Australia to | conscription, he was certain that the Island Continent would do its part. ' Me said this as a New Zealander j who had served in Australia's army, j Everyone knew that in Gallipoli j many of the men who succumbed to their wounds would not have done j so if they bad not been over \ fatigued. Those men had been called j upon to do more than their share, i The lesson of it all was that more men were wanted. An old fetish which had been destroyed was that, one Briton could take on three Ger-1 mans. In the case of four New Zealandcrs against five Germans, the j fifth New Zealander would be want- I ed all the time. At the speaker's re- j quest, three cheers were given.for' the New Zealanders now at the front. At the invitation of Mr M. Clark, the audience rose as a body as a sign of its disapproval of the declaration of support to the anti-conscriplion-ists, which had been sent to Australia by certain New Zealand Labour I men. Other speakers were Mr J. R. Hayward, Mr E. Nordon, and the Rev. J. Palerson. During the evenling, four Christ's College Cadet buglers played the "Last Post," while the C.D.C. Rand played Handel's "Dead March" from "Saul" as a tribute to the memory of the gallant dead. M. M. Malaquin was enthus-

iastically cheered at the conclusion of his singing in French of the "Marseillaise." The Mayorls motion was carried, the appeal bringing forth Ave recruits.