WHAT OUR READERS THINK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2481, 7 June 1915, Page 6

WHAT OUR READERS THINK

(To the Editor.) Sir, —While considering whethor New Zealand is doing enough ill the matter of reinforcements, lot us put aside tlio Question of how wo compare with tlio Old Country and the other Dominions, and ask ourselves "Can we do more? If so. how much and when shall wo do it?" Statistics show that we can do considerably more in the way of sending men; and Ministers have declaimed from tho platform that the last man will ba sent, and tho last penny spent in, the common cause. As to when the men should be sent. Surely they should go as soon as possible. There may be a -difference of opinion as to what .is possible. It is hardly fair, perhaps, to ask tho Dol'e.ura PrnwiincMt io tttlyri iiiw« men into iTranhWi si, once, hut I would suajest

? , a ". reinforcements after Novoraer bo doubled. Those responsible for training reinforcements at Trentbam yiow their job, and it is certain that tUoy could mako all arrangements for laming, a force twice the size, either m one camp or two camps, if given four mouths notice. In fact, not only the Defence Department, but the ivliolo community also would be ready to respond, if the Government was to announce that the pace would bo put oil w November; and difficulties could be made to disappear. It will be a shanieil thing if thousands of men willing to volunteer, and passed fit for active Kemce, are still in New Zealand in i 11 J' lo reinforcements are double next November, there will be hundreds such instead of thousands in iJlf. which would be much better. All volunteers, pronounced unfit for active service, might well be posted automatically into the National Reservo andriflo clubs, and tlieso units- with the Red Lross, .recruiting committees, and scouts, could—by organisation—relievo any shortage of labour in the necessary industries: and thus would be fighting at homo as usefully as their comrades m the firing line.—l am, etc., prep abe to Advance.