The Dominion TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1915, THE MORE MEN MOVEMENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2524, 27 July 1915, Page 4

The Dominion TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1915, THE MORE MEN MOVEMENT

Though the result of the deputation? which waited on the Minister of Defence yesterday afternoon to discuss war matters does not seem to have led to'any immediate prospect of the Dominion increasing its reinforcements, the discussion was certainly' not fruitless. It afforded a number of representative citizens an opportunity of expressing opinions which are very ,widely helcl in. the community regarding New Zealand's duty in tho present crisis, and Mr. j Allen took advantage of the occasion to make a definite statement regarding the attitude of the Government. _ Some new light was thrown on various points concerning which a good deal of uncertainty has hitherto prevailed. The Ministor was in full sympathy with tho request of the deputation that the Government should prepare a National Register of men eligible for service. Indeed, -ho was inclined to go further than the deputation. thought that it would 1 b§ a good thing to o.btain the 'necessary information to enable the wholo of the labour of the country and the national resources to be organised. ,A system of registration, he suggested, would shortly have to bo adopted. <■ The compilation of military and industrial registers would represent an important step in tho direction of, the more thorough organisation of the Dominion for war purposes. These lists would prove exceedingly helpful to the authorities by' providing them with reliable .information as to the number of lighting men which. New Zealand could put into the field, and also enable them to make the best use of those' 'who _ remain at home to carry; on the industries of the country. It is. a vital necessity that the industrial activities of the Dominion should go on as nearly as possible as in normal times, and in order to ensure this something must be done to make up for the shortage caused by the enlistment of so many of our young men, especially the_ farm hands. At a time like this it is essential that the labour avail--able should be put to the best use. This involves organisation of a kind which cannot be effectively 'carried out until the statistics which the proposed registers will provide have been compiled. Mr. Allen was able to assure the deputation that the Government recognises the need of taking action in this matter, and it is to be hoped that the work will bo commenced without delay. When tho registers have been completed the _ authorities will be in a better position than at present to deal with any emergencies that may arise during tlio progress of the war. In giving a negative answer to the proposal that the number of men at present being sent to. the front should be increased, the Minis-ter-adhered to the opinion he has expressed on more than one occa-sion. The reasons which he advanced, in support of his attitude appeared to make a strong impression on the deputation, t'o whom he spoke very frankly, some of his remarks being of a confidential oharaccciv He stated emphatically that we cannot, for the present, at any rate, do more than we are doing. Such a statement coming, from the Minister of Defence, speaking with a full sense of responsibility,, cannot be lightly brushed aside. _ It appears that we must, in the circumstances, be content for the time being to adhere to ,_the existing arrangement. The position is not, however, a satisfactory one. Tho country is desirous of doing all that is possible, and it is obvious that we have more men available for service than are being used. The 'chief difficulty appears to be that for the time being we cannot obtain the equipment for any appreciably larger body 'of reinforcements than, we are at present sending. It is no doubt true, as stated, that we are doing all that we. have been asked to do. That is satisfactory as far as it goes, but we cannot rest content as long as anything remains undone that we are able to do and ought to do. It seems strange that tho Imperial Government should be . making appeals for more men'without any restrictions, and that the Commonwealth authorities, acting on information which has been placed before them, are at present making strenuous efforts to increase the number of men they are sending to • the front, while no requests for more men should have been made to New Zealand. iv cablegram, which we publish this morning, announces that the Imperial Government has asked_ Australia to form a Second Division, and that the Commonwealth has agreed to do so. Why has not a similar request for additional men been sent to N'sw Zealand ? This matter wants clearing up. The Government will no doubt make direct inquiries in order- to ascertain the facts of tho situation. Tho people of New Zealand are not prepared to accept the present position as final and unalterable.