RECRUITS WANTED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2450, 1 May 1915, Page 8

RECRUITS WANTED

AN APPEAL TO YOUNG MEN. (By Ttlezrapli—Press Association 1 Dunedin, April 30. At a recruiting meeting in the Garrison Hall to-night, the Minister of Defence (the Hon. Jas. Allen) made a land had already sent' 15,000 men to enlist. In the course of his remarks he. stated that on the previous night he had referred to the fact that New Zealand had already sent 15,000 men to the front, and over 1400 men to occupy Samoa, in addition to which 250 New Zealanders in London had enlisted and joined the Main Body, and 62 nurses had gone away, 50 to the order of the Army Council to proceed wherever they were told, and 12 who had joined the Australian Nursing Contingent. He wished now to say something about the requirements for the future. Before December 12 the authorities would require 10,600 men and approximately 3700 horses. This was in accordance with' our engagements with the War Office. Then between December 12 and April'of next year 5300 men and approximately 1500 horses would be required. That was to. say, between now and April, 1916, the. authorities in New Zealand would require close on 16,000 men and nearly 5200 horses. Since February 15, 1915, the following numbers had been registeredln ■Auckland district, 3054; in Wellington district, 1972; in- Canterbury district, 2090; and in Otago district, 844, or a total of 7960. Between the present time and December 12 each of the four districts ought to find inclusive of 40 per cent, for medical rejects about 4350 men. or a total of 17,400 men. It had been suggested that the Government should provide a badge for those who had registered, and had been turned down by doctors iii order that these might not have their loyalty or courage aspersed. But he did not know if the Government could adopt the badge. He wished that he could devise a scheme by which one might know those who were serving and those who could serve and were not doing so.