THE EMPIRE'S CALL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2333, 15 December 1914, Page 6

THE EMPIRE'S CALL

WANTED-MEN RECRUITING IN WELLINGTON Kitchener's call: "Young man, your country needs you!" is going to be echoed over this country very shortly. Yesterday afternoon, at the invitation of the Mayor, a number of Wellington citizens mot in the Mayor's room, and discussed ideas for recruiting. There were between thirty and forty persons present, among them Archbisop O'Shca, the Rev. H. \ 7 an Staveren, and the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken. . In introducing the subject, the Mayor said.that in the Homeland men of all avocations had freely ottered their services. The miners had volunteered to the extent of one in four. It was very pleasing that over the whole Empiro tho people had realised their' responsibilities.' Those whom he was addressing had been called together for the purpose of seeing if they could do anything to supplement the efforts of the Defence Department, and this Worship said he would take such action as was considered necessary to interest the public in the movement. It was mentioned that the Patriotic Society would assist the citizens'. Mr. G. Winder expressed tho opinion that the first thing to be done was for public bodies' and other employers to make it clear that they would keep .positions open for those who .went to the. front; In order- to carry on the work of businesses' which' lost. any of their staff, women might come forward and assist temporarily to keep the wheels of industry revolving. Mr. A. A. Marryatt stated that he had been told that men who were anxious to go to the front had been prevented 1 ' from doing so through being told that they could not be spared from 'work, and that if they went away they would have to resign their position's. The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken said that the position at present was that the public were not aware that more men were wanted. The impression was that the Defence Department had all the men they needed. On the motion of Mr. C. R. Smith, seconded by Mr. H. F. Yon Haast, it was resolved that the Mayor.should call a public meeting for a date early in the Now Year. -Those present formed themselves into,, a working committee to further the movement.