RED TAPE OR WORSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1915, Page 7

RED TAPE OR WORSE.

To the Kditor. Sir, —Your article mi recruiting Mas a strong indictment against our present Defence Department, but I think that it was not strong enough. I will give you another instance. One of our Taranaki boys, working on the East Coast, about 50 miles inland, rode into Gisborne about two months ago, passed the doctor, and enlisted in the mounted trcops. Three weeks ago he got. notice to join at Gisborne.oll the 17th inst. He immediately sold _horse and tools at a great loss and came to Taranaki to see his people. He reported himself at Stratford and the Defence Ollioe gave him a wire to send to Gisborne saying he would join his squad at Paimcrston North or Trentham. Judge of his surprise when he went to Stratford to be told that as they had no reply from Gisborne they could not take him. He offered to pass the doctor in Stratford and enlist again, but they would not allow that, so he wired to Gisborne offering to pay his own fare, but has got no reply yet. Now, here is a man who has thrown up a two years' job and been at great loss—a man who lias never had a day's illness in his life—stranded in Taranaki. i hear that the Gisborne squad wan 20 short. Is it any wonder if men were treated in the same way as this man? And yet they are crying for more men!—l am, etc., DISGUSTED.