MEN FOR THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2491, 18 June 1915, Page 6

MEN FOR THE WAR

NEW QUOTA SYSTEM GREATER CHANCES FOR LOCAL MEN In yesterday's Dominion there was published an analysis • of the recruiting figures for Wellington City, and the analysis showed that unless the Defence Department's practice of calling up equal quotas of men' from the four military districts -was immediately departed from, the men who now enlisted in Wellington were in reality registering for the Fourteenth Reinforcements, These were the qualifying words accompanying the analysis:— "The only prospeot of the long wait being shortened is the chance of a heavier draw than 140 every two months being placed on the City through shortage elsewhere, or through a readjustment of the quotas." The Defence authorities stated to a Dominion representative yesterday that it has now been decided to readjust the quotas so that every military district will be called upon for men in proportion to the number it has oil its books.' The decision was put into operation yesterday in respect 'to the district quotas of N.C.O.'s to be called up for the Eighth Reinforcements. The quotas, or proportions, have been decided_ on the basis of the number of applications registered, and they are: Mounteds. Infantry. Per cent. Per cent. Wellington 46.4 41.4 Auckland 2o 36 Canterbury 14.3 U Otago 14-3 10.6 If this high proportion in favour of the Wellington district obtains when the men are called up, the chanccs of men from this City will be considerably improved. For instance, under the system of takinf 25 per cent, of the men from the Wellington Military District, the City of Wellington was asked to provide about 140 men for every reinforcement draft. An increaso from 2o per cent, to 46.t per cent, for the district would (if enlisting is fairly even in tho district) increase the City's quota to 260. On that basis we now have enough men on the books *a.t Buckle Street to supply our share of more than three, drafts, instead of six drafts as under the equal share system. Therefore Wellington City has the men it requires up to, and including, the Tenth_ Reinforcements, and there is opportunity for men to get away with the Eleventh, which will be called up in February. j

This fact indicates a great improvement in local lopportunity, and will be welcomed by Wellington men,;who keenly -felt the handicap which tie old order of tilings placed upon them. Wellington has thoroughly deserved this concession, and the change should have the cffect of increasing recruiting here.

YESTERDAY'S VOLUNTEERS. Twenty-eight men enlisted ill Wellington yesterday.- Their' names follow, and those whose addresses'are not given are city residents:— .Walter Joyce, bank clerk. John Gordon Williams, station hand, Martinborough. Chas. B. j\lacArthur, architect's apprentice, Khandallah. Donald Whittington, driver. • Wincy Pohararaa, labourer, Kaikoura. Clarence Parkin, ironmonger's assistant. Harold Freeman, Civil Servant. Chas. Fredk. Redman, reporter. Donald Aubrey Campion, farmer. Frank Richard Long, clerk, Lower Hutt. Sutherland Campbell, motorman. James O'Brien, jockey. Edward Burt, motor driver. Geo. >H. Wilson, shipping clerk. Bernard Thos. Kay, mason, Fort Kelbum. Wm. Chas. Hearn, driver, Island Bay. Francis Joseph Taaffe, saddler. Frank Goscomb, wharfinger. Reginald Le Quesne Badley, commercial traveller. Hugh M'Leod, clerk. ■ Howard Nelson Fleet Burry, Civil Servant. _ Erie T. Crawford, Civil Servant. Claude Pycroft, cutter. Geo. Williams, labourer. Orion Victor Lattimore, telegraphist. Frank Thos. Costin, storekeeper. Wm. Hy. Holliugsworth, cutter, Island Bay. _ « Frank Wiseman, chemist. 1