THE CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2608, 2 November 1915, Page 6

THE CALL FOR MEN

HOW WE STAND

INFANTRY MEN STILL NEEDED THAT OCTOBER SHORTAGE RETURNS THROUGH DEAD'LETTER OFICE. Tho latest rcoruiting figures in tho city show that' v/p still need men for the infantry and mounted arms, in order to complete our quota for the Tenth Reinforcements. Tho Tenth go into camp in two weeks' time, and by then we have about CO men to find for tho two branches mentioned. There was a further draw on the city yesterday, when a dozen more men from here were sent into camp. The present position of recruiting in tlio city as shown by the men. on the books is :— Not oxFit. amined. Total Mounteds 84 5 89 Artillery ...172 4 176 Engineers 46 2 • 48 Signallers 18 1 19 Infantry 116 5 121 fS C 113 3 116 Ambulancc 89 2 91 Veterinarians 3 — 3 A comparison of the numbers on the books with the numbers needed reveals shortages in the chief arms—infantry and mounteds—as follows:— Fit Shorter , , Quota, on books, ages. Mounted Rifles ... 96 84 12 Artillery .« 48 172 _ Engineers 20 .46 — Signallers 6 18 Infantry 160 116 44 5 113 — Ambulanco 6 • 89 — Veterinarians .... 6 3 Totals 341 641 56 Regarding the heavy registrations for tlio Army Service Corps, the Group Commander (Major Corrigan) points out that very few men are needed for this branch, and therefore the prospccts of getting to the front are not as good as tho prospect's for men who sign 011 for some of tho other branches. It was remarked by one soldier that men who sign on for the A.S.C. cannot be looking for soft jobs, because the casualties are probably fully as high per cent, as in tho infantry, the work is moro arduous than infantry work, and is often thanldcss work.

It may bo remembered that our quota for the Third and Fourth Battalions of tho Rifle Brigade went into camp sixtyfour men short. The shortage was made up very shortly afterwards, but there was a good deal of speculation at the timo as to why so many men who had been notified failed to answer the roll call on the day appointed. It now transpires that many had changed their addresses between the dates of registration and the calling up. A big proportion of the notifications ha'vo returned through the Dead Letter, Office. In future tho Department proposes to make a list of the men who fail to answer the roll call and to offer it to the Press for publication in the hope that men who have changed their abode may become aware that they are wanted. Up till and including Saturday last 721 men had registered at the Town Hall, an average of 240 weekly. The dozen men who went into camp from Wellington yesterday to make up shortages in the Ninth Reinforcements were:—H. E. Adamson, J. D. Brougliton. S. Cook, C. O'Connell, C. C. Healey, A. H. Macauley, G. Mulford, T. H. Paddy, W. Shaw, W. Stewart, If. J. Thompson, M. Walsh. •Yesterday's list of fit recruits is as follows: — Herbert Stanloy Innes-Jones, motormail, Island Bay. Norman Hugh Hogg, private secretary, Legislative Council, City. Jules Simons, clerk, City. Samuel Cook, labourer, City. Thomas Henry V. M'Keown, clerk, City. ~ ■

Albert Bowen, labourer, City. William S. Foster, sheep farmer! Pic. ton. i

Charles Anderson, diaper's assistant, City. . '

Donald Jolm M'lunes, seaman, City. Henry Edgar Adamson, City. Robert H. Nimmo, piano tuner, City, Robert Macgregor, cook, Makara. Walsh Martin, seaman, City. Francis Newton Stanton, D Company, stli Regiment, Petone.

Daniel Doran, joiner, City. Cecil Trembath, driver, Karori; Alfred James Clark, stable hand, Newtown.

George F. Hodgman, telegraphist, City.

Alfred J. Me, contractor, City. Thomas Wilson, Labourer, City. , • Ernest E. Le Grove, Civil Servant, City.

( Walter Shaw, labourer, City. Bertram W. Lego;, ironmonger, City. Charles Edgar Smith, labourer, Happy Valley. Turner Steers, farm labourer, Karori. Alfred Conway, farm labourer, Lower Hutt. Walter George Brown, gardener, I.owor Hutt. Robert Cook, labourer, City. Thomas Richard . Smith, bushman, City. Perciral Arthur Cutbush, Kaiwarra. Robert William Anslie, engineer's apprentice, Seatoun. John Hartnett, bushman. Joseph Hugh M'Kennan, grocer, Ngahauranga. • ■ Samuel Richard Grimes, fireman, City, Amos Augustus Avery, plumber, Newtown. Kenneth Mafcheson, driver, City. Walter Henry Ede, packer, sth Regiment, City. Thomas James Welch, postal clerk, City. Alfred Reid, waiter, City. Walter A. Grow, bank clerk, •City.. Edward Wood, Harbour Board em. ployee, City. Alexander S. Nicolson, carpenter City. Edmond O'Connor, clerk, City. THE LOCAL CAMPS IDEA PENSIONS ACT CRITICISED Some reference to recruiting problems •was made by members of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday. The chairman (Mr. J. Macintosh)' asked the authority of the council to bring before the executive of tho Associated Chambers of New Zealand, which is to meet shortly, certain suggestions regarding recruiting. He- referred especially to the case of men who gave up their employment to enlist, and who having registered, wero told that their services were not required just yet, and that they had better go back to their work. If the man replied that he had given up his job, tho Government did not help him. _ Ho proposed to suggest to tho Associated Chambers that they might by organisation make tho machinery of recruiting run a little more smoothly. Mr. C. W. Jones said ho had noticed, that other Chambers had been passing resolutions urging employers not to take on as employees mon eligiblo for military service. Ho suggested that possibly the Wellington Chamber might feel disposed to pass a similar resolution,

Mr,' Macintosh said ho would not bo

in favour of such a resolution. Ho thought things could be arranged ill a. bettor way. This, however, was only "his personal opinion. That proposal was not pressed. Mr. I. Ballinger suggested that tho proposal that recruiting camps should lie established in tho centres should bo brought before tlio Associated Chambers. It was said that Auckland was not furnishing as many men as Wellington, but tho Auckland people said that this was bccauso we had tho camp here, and men came here to enlist. Mr. J. M'Lollan approved of the idea. He had visited Auckland recently, and he could say that tlio Auckland peoplo ccrtainly had not the idea tlfat they were behind. He thought that recruiting camps should bo established, every camp being under tho care of, say, ono man, and from those camps men could bo drafted to the training camps. When a regiment was being recruited at Home a man after receiving tlio shilling was not allowed to go about his business again. Tho man after being passed as mcdically fit was treated as an asset, and looked after. There was a great deal of laxity, or red tape, or hidebound prejudice about the authorities' attitude hero.

Mr. Ballinger also raised the question of pensions. Ho held tho opinion that tile dependents of every man killed or incapacitated should hare a pension, no matter what their means were. Those who did not go would have to pay, and they ought to pay.

Mr. M'Lellan said he believed this was a necessity, and would yet have to bo made the law.

Mr. Macintosh said he would like to see tho Act amended in this direction.

Resolutions were passed empowering the president to bring beforo tho executive of tho Associated Chambers the proposals raised; tho organisation 'of employers to facilitate the recruiting of employees ; advocacy of the establishment of local recruiting camps; and also advocacy of amendments 6f tho Military Pensions Act to givo effect to the reforms mentioned.