TO FILL THE GAPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2574, 23 September 1915, Page 6

TO FILL THE GAPS

CALL FOR MEN SPEEDING UP REINFORCEMENTS STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER The Minister of Defence (tho Hon. J. Allen) announced in tbe House of Representatives yesterday, that arrangements were being made to expedite tho sending of reinforcements. The casualties of tho previous few weeks, the Minister said, liad been heavy, and the last' few days a communication had been received asking that our reinforcements should bo sent forward at an earlier date than had been intended. [t>as found that by bringing back tho, transports rather more rapidly, it was possible to expedite the departure of the Bth and 9th'Reinforcements, which would be sent from New Zealand about six: weeks earlier than had been intended. : This would mean that the men belonging to'these bodies would have to exercise all their ingenuity to get ready to go, and from What he knew of the Bth, and what lie believed wouldalso be true ■of -tlio 9th, lie thought that ther would' make' themselves ready to go. These alterations would apply only t„ the Bth and the 9tli. When they had_ gone it was expected that.'it would be possible to carry on as usual with regard to the others. - The Bth would sail some time early in November, and the 9th somewhere about the middle of January. The 7th and the Trentham Battalions would go at the regular time, about three weeks from the present. A very largo number of men would have to go into training in November, and as far,as.the present registration was concerned it appeared that there were barely, sufficient men registered- for the Ninth Reinforcements and,the.'two new battalions. Registration was good, but .thero' was an insufficiency of infantry for tho new. 'battalions and the 9th Reinforcements. .The new situation involved the calling up of nearly 4000 men during thes first week in November for tho 10th Reinforcements. It was anticipated that some slight difficulty would bo experienced owing to the winter being over and the demands on .labour being considerable, and ho desired to ask members and the country generally to stimulate registration as far as possible. , It was desirable to do so in order to make sure of- the new,, battalions and the 9th Reinforcements, and also the big demands for the 10th and subsequent Reinforcements. ; Registration should be recorded as early as possible,' and it should bo remembered that registrations would need to exceed the number of men required, since a certain proportion failed to pass the medical examination. '. 1 -

As far as one couid, judge, it seemed probable that the Ninth Reinforcements and the new battalions would go into camp satisfactorily,' but it would need some effort and some sacrifice from the people, to keep up the heavy demand made upon lis for subsequent Reinforcements. He did not know whether any. • platform work would be required, but he hoped it would not. If the people; laid hold of the idea that these men were needed, the men would offer in: tho ordinary way . by registration, without the stimulus* of, platform talk. If this should be required, there would be men willing to undertake this duty. LATEST RECRUITS. The, following men have enlisted in Wellington:— .Aleer .Lyons; driver, bity. Arthur Aleo Freeman, tally clerk. City. 1 _ . • . , • Ernest William Hughson, greaser, Petone. : ! ' . • Osmond Wilfred; Harrop,, chemist's assistant, City. George Albert - Edlin, .engineer, Petone. ■ ' Ivobort Neill Wilkinson,' printer,. Np,ai<>. William Ka.no, No. 9 Garrison Artillery, Civil Servant, City. William A. Kibbell, No. 4 Company Field Engineers, Civil Servant, Brooklyn. /; ■ William James Harrison,, packer, City. Harry Edward, clerk. City. ■, Fred Robertson, student, Kelburn. i Alfred James Coles, clerk, City. : Thomas Colt man, commercial traveller, City. Alfred Leslie Thomas, farm-hand, Wellington. G'eorge Lecinard Reese, commercial traveller, City. James Brown, steward, City. .