LATE WAR NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144842, 20 November 1915, Page 7

LATE WAR NEWS.

THE RECRUITING CAMPAIGNUNCERTAINTIES CLEARED UP. EXTENSION OF TIME GRANTED. BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT. (Received Nov. 20, 2.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 19. Tho Press Bureau says that Lord Derby, in a letter to Mr. Asquith, endeavours to clear up the uncertainty of tho Ministerial statement respecting recruiting. He understands that married men wifi not be called upon before young unmarried men. If the latter do not offer voluntarily the married men will lie released from their pledge, or a Bill will be introduced compelling young men to serve. If the Bill is not passed the married men will be automatically released. Lord Derby interprets tho words “young unmarried men” to mean the vast majority who are not engaged in munition manufacture or other essential national work. Mr. Asquith replied that the letter correctly expresses the Government’s intentions. It is .assumed that the correspondence is the result of a serious set-back in recruiting, due to contradictory interpretations of Mr. Asquith’s guarantees. Recruiting officers state that Mr. Asquith killed tho goose that was laying the recruiting eggs. Lord Derby has extended the voluntary recruiting period to December 11.