MISSING RECRUITS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11671, 11 April 1916, Page 6

MISSING RECRUITS.

•■______ i THE SOLDIERS' SEARCH. The 'search for men who have enlisted and have failed to "toe the mark" is proceeding slowly, a returned soldier told a "Star" reporter to-day. At present the Sydenham district is being worked and, on the average, two men are engaged in a street. On a recent 'evening it took two men two hours and a half to deal with twenty names. Of this number, which took a considerable amount of " digging out," three men were found to be under age, one was over age, two had enlisted a second time, and no trace could be found of six. Some of the men had re-enlisted and gone to Trentham. In such cases the canvassers' difficulties had been increased by the fact that tho lists supplied to them would contain names of men who had been "missing" for a month or more and had re-enlisted. Why those men had not turned up in the first instance could not be ascertained, but it was a fact that Beveral had re-enlisted, as stated, and were actually in the training camps to-day. This doubling system wanted attention, as canvassers did not relish engaging in a wild goose chase. A matter for, pnblio consideration, stated the canvasser, was the prevalence of young men to enlist and go through their medical examination, at a cost of 6s per man to the country, and then, on their failing to join the Reinforcements, and on inquiries being made by personal canvass, for objections to service being made by parents. The canvassers experienced a lot < of worry in this way, said the recruiting soldier, and the public should realise that this sort of thing was nnfan- to all concernedThe soldier appealed for help trom the pnblic in tho duty imposed upon canvassers of unearthing the missing recruits. BADGE QUESTION. - Mr H. Q. EN, M.P., communicated with the Prime Minister regarding complaints about men not wearing arm badges, and asked him whether they could be compelled to wear them Mr Massey has .replied to Mr Ell, stating that the badges are now coming into use and numbers are being Tvorn m Auckland and Wellington. There is power, he adds, to compel men to wear them. DONEDINJECRUITS. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, April 11. Since the new recruiting soheme was inaugurated in Dunedin 842 recruits have been examined, an average of 49 daily. Recruiting throughout the Otago district shows a great improvement.