THE NEW FORCES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2573, 22 September 1915, Page 6

THE NEW FORCES

OUR QUOTA. XIITY'S SHARE MUCH REDUCED j OTHER MILITARY MATTERS • In a short article ill yesterday's Dominion an indication .was given that Wellington might expect a smaller quota for the next batch ot' troops to he called up than the quota it had allocated fo. it for the last, batch. This indication lias proved time in a much greater measure than was expected. Tho city and suburban quota for tho body of men who are to form the Ninth Reinforcements and the, two extra battalions of the Trentham Eegiment is 375 men, which is undoubtedly a small quota for Wellington. When the Eighth Reinforcements went into camp we supplied 104 men of a •otal of 2200. Our share oi that force was 18 per cent., or twice the percentage due from us on a population basis. On this occasion we aTe to send 375 men for a force of about 5300. That" number represents ■ 7 per cent,, about 2 per cent, less than what our population justifies. The fact that Wellington's quota has dropped considerably does not necessarily show that tlieue liag boen a. l>ig drop in tho number of lit men offering. Other factors, could operate to the reduction of our quota, i'or instance, there may havo been a big improvement in the number of men offering in other places. Moreover, the intention may be to leave a corlain number of men on the city books to fill gaps with, as this is the most convenient place to utilise for such a purpose. Many gaps i havo been filled from here in the past. The smallness of our quota might seem' to point to a heavy percentage o£ unfits amongst recent "recruits, but there are assurances that such is not the ,case.

Some men remain on the books, but practically an our infantry has been token. The infantry was the most difficult branch of the service to fill on this .occasion. • , If we had been asked for as large a quota per centum as we were asked for. respecting the Eighth Reinforcements, -we would lie sending 960 men instead of 375. On a population basis we would be supplying 180. The men are to'go into camp on October 12 and October 19. Ambulance Men Chosen. The P.M.O. (Surgeon-Major Elliott) made. ii selection of ambulance men for the Trentliam Regiment yesterday, and cbose the following, who are to proceed to Palmerston North on Friday :—L, N. -Williami, M, Yates, A. Harris, C. Moxha.ni, 11. C. Ifuxford, J, Oarmody, J. I'. C. Sutton, W. Jacques, C. H. Russell, R, M. L. Watson, J. P. Cook, A. E. Caddick, S. L. Leonard, 6. Harper, J. Cable, T. L. Burns, H. W. Thornton, R. H. il'ilillan, A. M'Doaald, 0. G. Bramwell, E. E W'hyte, P. J. Dyson, J. Wood, D. Radclifte, J. J. Chnstensen Jonson, and T. Owen. ' Still more ambulance men are needed. Those willing to offer their services-may coinmwiicate with Maior Oorrigan at the Garrison Hall or with. Sergeant-Major Johnson at the Recruiting Office. ' Recent Enlistments. The following men have enlisted in Wellington:— ■■ Curtis A. P. Moxham, salesman, City. Francis Joseph Smith, Lower Hutt. James F. Caj>ey, nurseryman, (;ity. John Hood, bootmaker, Brooklyn. James Henry Atherall , labourer, Kaiwarra. Andrew Crawford,'electrician, City. James Brownlie, No. 4 Railway Engineers, railway clerk, City. .Henry Roy Farquhar,, surveyor's assistant, ;City. • David Moore, gardener, City. " John Paul Robson, skilled miner, City. Albert Weeks, miner, City. William M'Leod Nuttall, chemist, City. ■ Thojnas Wickham, Petono. MorrU Efford Bushy railway "fireman, I'aekakariki. . John Gourley, miner, Trentham Camp. Isaac M. Ellon, sailor, City. 'Williqm Cleaver, sailor, City. Geo. B..Parker, Somes Island guard.' v John Ker Weir, railway employee, City, Harry Barwick, steward, City, William Sutton, Btoreman, City. William Summers, butcher, Lower Hutt.

Testing the Seventh. The military training- of recruits is being energetically pushed on in the New Zealand camps. The 7th Reinforcements, who are camped at Tauherenikau, are now going through the finishing stages of their training, which entails a number of Toute marches and also a certain amount of camping out. During lust week they were almost daily on the march with full equipment. On Friday morning the whole infantry battalion (about 1200 strong) left for Papawai to camp out for the night, and make an attack in the early morning. -

Camping equipment consisted of an overcoat, oil sheet, and ono'blanket. Tlio battalion reached Papawai ahout midday on Friday, and during the afternoon "C" and "D" companies left camp to take up a position of the high ground behind Morison's Bush. The "A" and "B" companies left camp at 2.51 a.m. on Saturday, and at daybreak the contending sentries and picket groups were in touch, and an engagement rapidly ' developed. Cease fire was sounded about G a.m. The battalion then marched back to Tauherenikau . Camp. The strenuous training of the past fortnight proved its worth, as not a single man. fell put throughout the whole operations. Trentham Appointments. The following officers haye reported for duty, at Trentham Camp:—N.Z. Medical .tlorps, Lieuts. W. T. Reid, P. B. Benham, D. G. MTherson, A. D. S. Whyto. The following temporary appointments have been approved of by the Camp Commandant:— Divisional Ammunition Column.—Sergt. A. M. Thomson to be 1 quartermastersergeant; Bombr. J. Bayldon, Gunners C. P. M. Brown, L. B. Foster, F. B. Ferguson, to be corporals; Gunners D. D. Holland, 0. H, Haddock, J. H. Ford, W. M. Evans, E. R. H'Killop, V. S. Hickson, C. A. Chapman, G. Mitchell, F. A. Marcroft, to be bombardiers.

Divisional Ammunition Column, Ist ReinforcemenTs — Gunner P. Milne, to be corporal-storeman, Gunner V. J. Wise, to be bombardier-storeman. 7th Artillery Reinforcements, Gunners B. L. Rigg, A. W. Bird, to be bombardiers. B Squadron, 7th Reinforcements, Ptes. E. B. Alexander, C. M. it. M'Murdo, K. C. Wilson, to be corporals; Ptes. H. Smith, R.. B. Shepherd, W. Gibson,. M. I. Finlayson, H. J. Kivkhain, B. K. White. W. T. Shaye, E. G. Anderson, to be lancecorporals.