RECRUITING IN WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 110, 15 January 1940, Page 4

RECRUITING IN WHAKATANE

Sir,: —Referring to your sub-leader in Wednesday's issue I should , like to draw your attention to the fact that it is very misleading to the general public. You state that this district had no recruiting labilities, and that men had to go away either to Tauranga or Rotorua to enlist and to get a Medical Board, in this statement you are quite wrong, any man can enlist in Whakatane or get in touch with myself or Mr H. W. Brabant. The Post Office have a full supply of Enlistment Forms, and I personally will arrange to have men medically boarded in this town, without having to travel out of the district. You should make it quite clear after your sub leader that the men that travelled to Rotorua and Tauranga, were a special lot for examination for the Air Force, and not the general military forces who are all examined in this town. Thanking you for correcting the misleading statement. Yours etc., C. A. HEAD, Recruiting Officer. (We are glad that our correspondent has been given the opportunity of clearly stating the position as it obtains with reference to recruiting in Whakatane. With all due respect to him hoAvever we would like to state that we did not say that there were no recruiting facilities here, but that there was no military office ior headquarters here. It was merely with a view to stimulating the campaign that we offered the suggestion that a permanent office be opened to encourage and deal with recruits on the spot. If this could be it would save even Air Force the necessity 6f travelling 60 miles for examination. As it stands now the posi tion is quite clear, but we still maintain that a permanent office in the town would lend stimulus and active encouragement to recruiting generally. Ed.)