THE HEIGHT TEST FOR RECRUITS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2564, 11 September 1915, Page 12

THE HEIGHT TEST FOR RECRUITS.

J Sir,—From end to end of our grand Empire you, hear the notes ring out of that great and true appeal, "Your King and Country Need You." From tho city to tho country and from Auckland to the Bluff, from all outlying portions of our Empire the recruits are pressing forward in answer to that call. The air is full of enthusiasm, fight, and talk, while nervous hindering individuals aro crying out for conscription. Thousands of fitroiw and capablo recruits are being turned down because of some piece of red-tape that is thrown across' their track like a wire entanglement. Tho-standard of officiency varies with the different parts of the Empire—a recruit considered eligible in England would bo turned down in New Zealand becauso ho is an inch too short. Hundreds of recruits _ that could not got away with our Reinforcements went to Australia, and were passed into the Reinforcements there without any trouble. \We are one Empire united, lighting as one body against the power of military tyranny, yet the authorities here turn down recruits that would be gladly accepted by the Imperial Government, and on tho one hand they hold back good and strong men, because they are too short by the fraction of an inch, and on the other hand they discuss conscription.

As ono of ■ the bantams I am out to have a out at this reel of red-tape, I want to fight for the Empire; let us then be permitted to do so if we como up to tho standard asked by tEe Imperial Government. If a long fellow does happen to hare more neck (by an inch) than us short ones, we can do the same work as he, and just as effectively, be it at meal time or work time, wo can hold our own,' so at the front. Apply the test of health and.strength; eliminate tho question of an inch or two, and the result will be satisfactory. I might also montion that I havo "been turned down three times now on tho ono and only fault, that being too short, which is Teally no .fault at all. On behalf of tho "shorties."—l am, etc., H. AY. GRIMES.