THE CALL FOR MORE MEN

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144852, 2 December 1915, Page 2

THE CALL FOR MORE MEN

<690 INFANTRY NEEDEO. FOR ELEVENTH REINFORCEMENTS. At the end of last week (according to the latest returns)’there were registered on the .Expeditionary Force books throughout Aew Zealand 3764 men. Nearly half these men were on the books of the Wellington military district. The district registrations were:— Auckland Military District 1062 Wellington Militaiy District ...... 1704 Canterbury Military District 616 Otago Military District 372 Total 3754 The infantry needed for the Eleventh Reinforcements (by December 14) total 1060. and there arc about 970 in hand. Wellington military district has 685 fit infantrymeu registered, but only 427 are available for December. Auckland has 386 Jit men on its books, who wish to light with the infantry, and about 340 are available for December. Otago sets its lit and available infantry down at 1.20 and Canterbury has only 123 fit men for this arm of die service. Allowing the same rate of reductions as in the case in Wellington for men not available in December, Canterbury’s present store may be regarded as 78, ami the table of infantry available for December will then read: — Auckland Military District 345 Wellington -Military District 427 Canterbury Military District 78 Otago Military District 120 Total 970 These figures prove that not only is New Zealand as a whole short of infantry, but also that every individual military district is short. This fact can best be illustrated by comparison, thus:

The position of Canterbury seems to bo particularly .serious. Judging by past experience tho possibilities appear to bo that Auckland and ‘Wellington will with difficulty just about get the men they want, and the South Island will show a heavy shortage-—-and there will be no North Island surplus worth talking about to draw on. As 690 infantry are needed, a gross total of over 4000 'enlistments is required in order to secure them. For instance:— Take (.say) 4140 enlistments. One-third join infantry—l3Bo. Only half these infantry may be fit and immediately available-—690. On the assumption that only 50 per cent, of the infantry enlisting between now and December 14 can be sent into camp with the Eleventh Reinforcements, every district must obtain infantrymen as follows in the next fortnight:— ' Auckland M.D 140 ■Wellington M.D 220 Canterbury M.D 670 Otago M.D 350 Dominion total 1380 The figures in hand show that there is little to fear regarding tho other arms for the Eleventh. Even the mounted rifles arm is likely to be well filled. Tho quotas and the men fit and available (roughly) in this branch are:—

The net surplus of available mounted' men, therefore, is 49. Auckland actually has 115 fit mounteds, but a deduction has - been made to allow for men who do not wish to go to camp in December. Canterbury’s gross enlistments of mounteds are 74, which are reduced to 50 net for the same reason. However, the net result of an examination of the figures is that nearly 700 - fit and available infantry are required before December 14. —Dominion. SHORTAGE IS ACUTE. MUST HAVE 600 MEN AT ONCE. “The shortage is acute,” said the Defence Minister on Tuesday, referring to the need for men for the December draft. “We want 600 infantry for the Ilth Reinforcements, and we must have the men at oqce. Tho arrangement of the transports makes it absolutely essential that tho force shall go into camp and begin training on ihe date appointed. I nave telegraphed to the Mayors of Auckland, Christchurch and JDunedin telling them of this, and asking them to do what they can to make up the deficiency; also asking them to put themselves in touch with the officer commanding their districts and to assist in every way they can. lam in personal touch with tho Mayor of Wellington.” •T believe,” said Mr. Allen, “that the recruiting organisations in the different centres are a good deal more effective now than they have been. Especially is this so in Christchurch. These organisations are now doing exceedingly good work.”

>» >,_d Js . js3 rt o 1 g O £ C* Eo Auckland M.D. ... 415 343 70 Wellington M.D. 537 427 110 Canterbury M.D. 413 78 335 Otago M.i) 295 120 175 Dominion total... 1660 970 690

r 3 3 a> §) C ri 3 | fit 3 J S O' 10 w Auckland M.D, ... 98 00 8 Wellington M.D. 126 222 96 — Canterbury M.D. 95 50 — 45 Otago M.D 69 76 6 — Dominion total... 388 437 102 53