RECRUITING RETURNS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2622, 18 November 1915, Page 6

RECRUITING RETURNS

LAST WEEK'S FIGURES

DISTRICT RESPONSES COMPARED,

A further weekly return was issued from the Defence Department yesterday ■ showing comparatively the percentages . of recruits supplied by the four mili- . tary districts. The figures, which aro . for the week ending; 011 Saturday last, , November 13, reveal very little variation with the previous week's returns. Wellington district continues to provido close upon half the total number although there is a_ trifling decrease in enlistments. Fractional decreases are also reflected; in the figures for Canterbury and Otago, while Auckland can boast of a .38 per cent, increase. The comparison of the efforts of the North and South Islands, results rather to-tho discredit of the South. The North Island enlistments have increased .30 per cent.,/while there is an exactly similar decrease in the South Island, showing that compared with the previous week's figures the southern response is poorer than the northern by .60' per cent. The return giving the percentages of recruits passed as fit and remaining to ' bo examined for the various units shows Wellington's position'to be very satisfactory. The figures are as follow :— Total Enlistments. Tho district percentages, of registrations- (including those passed out unfit) compared with the week onding November 6 are: ■ Week ended Week ended District. Nov. 13 Nov. 6. Auckland 23.55 23.17 Wellington 47.08 47:1G Canterbury 19.20 19.44 Otago 10.17 10.23 Percentages for Units, Tho percentages of tho four districts of men passed fit and still on the books pending medical, examination compare as follow, Week ended Week ended District Nov. 13. , Nov. 6. Mounted Rifles. Auckland ......... 14.71 16.02 Wellington 02.23 48.29 Canterbury 21.34 28.87 Otago 11.72 ' ' 11.82 Infantry., Auckland 23.21 22.14 Wellington 50.59 50.17 Canterbury 17.14 18.76 Otago 9.06 8.93 Artillery. Auckland 21.69 21.57 Wellington 45.83 45.29 Canterbury 21.31 21.29 Otago 11.17 ' 11.85 Engineers. Auckland 28.07 28.24 Wellington 44.74 42.37 Canterbury 21.64 23.28 Otago 5.55 G.ll Signal Service. Auckland 35.C0 38.75 Wellington 46.25 38.75 Canterbury ~ 15.00 18.75 Otago ....... 3.75 3.75 Army Service Corps. Auckland.. 30.56 29.68 Wellington ...... 38.C7 45.23 Canterbury. ...... 20.58 15.90 Otago 10.19- . 9.19 Ambulance. , Auckland 29.54 27.56 Wellington ...... 41.14 39.33 Canterbury .J...' 19.20 24.67 Otago 10.12 8.44 Veterinary Corps. Auckland 22.22 31.43 Wellington 40.74 34.29 Canterbury 18.52 ■ 14.28 Otago 18.52 20.00 Hospital Ship. Auckland 39.77 ' 39.79 , Wellington 13.64 12.90 Canterbury 19.31 16.13 Otago 27.28 . 31.18 Tunnelling Company. ■ Auckland ......... 48.94 . 55.55 Wellington 36,17 29.63 Canterbury 6.38 ■ 5.56 Otago 8.51 9.26 • . Maoris. Auckland /3.91 12.24 Wellington ...... 26.09 87.76 Canterbury — — Otago . — ' — LATEST RECRUITS. Following are the latest enlistments at tho Wellington Recruiting Offices:— Ernest Michael Casey, clerk, Island Bay (Ambulance)'. . Andrew Kyle, oxchange clerk, Petono (Infantry). ' - Paul Albert Stanley, draughtsman, City. Robert W. C. Upton, driver, City (Mounted). William Nelson Matthews, City (Infantry). Frank David Peacock, draughtsman (Infantry). Jeremiah M'Laughlin, City . (Engineers). Frederick Benjamin Aburm, Civil Servant, City (Engineers). William George Wilkinson, saddler, Brooklyn (Artillery). Andrew M'Call, carpenter, City (Infantry). Charles Braltbage, tailor, City (Infaiitry). Thomas Francis Sullivan, Civil Servant. Lower Ilutt (Infantry). ' IMPROVEMENT IN THE SOUTH' MINISTER IS OPTIMISTIC. . "There has been an improvement in recruiting in Canterbury, and there is a very much abetter spirit down there now," said the Hon. J. Allen yesterday. "I think they will continue to improve in recruiting. The thing has not come home to them yet in the same way as it has come home to tho peoplo of the' North Island, but I think you

will find they are just as keen as wo are when they get on the job." MrAllen said he believed there were aat so many young-men available in the South Island as in the North, because the development of tho North Island in recent years had induced a considerable migration of young men. He did not think, however, that the migration of young men had been so great as to account wholly for tho shortage in Canterbury recruiting. "I think there lias been a certain amount of slackness in the South," lie said, "but I am sure that they will yet do their part as the rest of New Zealand has done it." Mr. Allen was nsked whether the Defence authorities intended to hold parades of Territorials in public.to stimulate' recruiting. "I havo moritioned to the Commandant that I think the Territorials ought to bo paraded in public nioro than they have been," said Mr. Allen. "I will mention it again. Now tliat the summer is coming on parados can bo hold out of doors without inconvenience. But what I would like to impress on, the public is that we don't want any spasmodic rushes in recruiting because this might land us in trouble about unemployment. We want steady recruiting every month, or, on the other hand, we want tliq register filled up with men who are willing to remain in their employment until wo call them up."

POSITION IN CHRISTCHORCH. (By Telegraph—Pres3 Asaocintion.) Christchurch,. November 17. Tho position in Christchurch in regard to tho 10th Reinforcements is highly satisfactory. The quota which leaves to-night is complete, and there is a number over.

Mr. Douglas Perrett. tho well-known Auckland artist, is a visitor to Wol-