STIMULATE RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2455, 7 May 1915, Page 5

STIMULATE RECRUITING

DELAY IN THE LIST OF KILLED. "I think the casualty lists issued today" will undoubtedly stimulate recruiting," said tli© Minister of Defence (the Hon. J as. Allen) to a Dohijjiox reporter yesterday afternoon. "It is obvious," he continued, "that the lists bring home our responsibilities to as all j and they have brought it home to New Zealand very closely now. I don't think, until these lists came out, that we quite realised bow near we were to these troubles. If I had not already registered, and I saw these lists, I would go straight away and _ register now. f cannot believe it possible that a man who is fit to go does not want to get away.' As many people are anxiously wondering why no list has j;et been received of the men killed in. action, Mr. Allen was asked if he could give any, reason for this delay. "It must be a "ery difficult job," h# replied, "to get together the names of the killed, and get them sent on. The wounded are brought away immediately, and taken to the hospital ships, where their records can be taken and at once dispatched. The killed^ are more difficult to ascertain. Their identification discs have to be secured, and then they have to be checked, and while tho forces are busy planting their feet on foreign soil they have not muoh time' for these things. I have no doubt that they are using every possible means. Then again it must be remembered that possibly the only mean 6 of communication with the outside is by wireless, and there may not be many wireless iustallations available. We have to be patient while fighting is going on there." Mr. Allen also referred to the dependents of those killed and wounded, and said that the Government could not do more until the legislation already on the Statute Book was amended next session The dependents df the men killed would be provided for. Up to tho present the Government had taken the oourse of paying to the dependents of a man who nad been killed the pay that he had allocated, to those he had left behind him. That pay would bo continued for twenty-six weeks, or until the pension to the dependents was fixed.