IN NEW ZEALAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3563, 25 September 1916, Page 6

IN NEW ZEALAND.

TWENTY-F!RST REiNFORCE-

MENTS.

A SERIOUS SHORTAGE

APPEAL BY RECRUITING BQARD

Tho • following message was . received on Satnrchiy afternoon from the chairman of the Recruiting Board:—

I wish--on behalf of the Recruiting .Board to draw attention to the very serious shortage which has been revealed by the mobilisation of the Twontylir^u Reinfcrcomonis. This sliortage has been wholly caused by the, failure of mffli who have registered for servico in tho several districts to answer tho summon?; to proceed to .camp to commence their training, as members of the Expeditionary Force. The position is made all the more .serious by reason of the fact that it wiil'uoli Le possible- to use the whole of the. compulsory provisions of the Compulsory Servifß Act for 'at least another niont'i t>;> make good, this shortage. It is mt?nded to oxoveise tho powers conferred on the Minister of Defence by Section 35 of the Act with respect to families containing two or more- iinetiJistdd sons who belong to the first division of tho reserve so soon as tho Military Service Boards can be set up. - TSr- board must, therefore, rely on the iiolp of nil Recruiting Commit loos, to fill the gaps in' the- Twenty-first Roinffircenents. I would urgently urge upon overy Recruiting Gomnjittee to leave no stono unturned within llic next few days to provide the men who are rennir-yr to onable the Twentyfirst, !'?ainfoivpmcrits to connnence training at full strength, and I would particularly ask Recruiting Com mi t-t-evcfi to endeavour by every .moans in tho'r powpr tn induce the rann \v)w h!a.ve ro'Hsteral but have failed to answer ftho call" to n6'.v como. forward airl diwpol tf- camp. h'- ' ' W F. MA.SSEY, Chairman."