MILITARY MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 3

MILITARY MATTERS

GENERAL Mm

VARIOUS PROBLEMS

THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM

At the present tiroo there is occasion for concern in Auckland regarding reoruiting. Last week, says the "Herald," only 68 men were accepted for service in the city, and the total for the military district_ was ! under -a hundred. On a population basis, the district must from 'now find 150 fit men per week. Last week's recruiting fell 50 below tho average, and the present week opened unsatisfactorily. In fact, since noon on Friday only 18 men have registered their names for medical examination. Bight of these have registered as infantrymen, six as mounted riflemen, and four for the Samoan relief force. As one officer put it, "Recruiting is down to zero." In no other branches of the service but those mentioned'are men wanted, and in no other branch may men enlist.

■ Auckland has over 300 men registered for Ambulance and A-S.C, and up till Tuesday not one had acceded to tho Department's request that they should transfer to the infantry or the mounted arm. MAORI QONTINCENTS. A statement as to the proposals of the Defence Department in collection with iecruitiug for the' New Zealand Native Contingents, was made by the Hon. Jas. Allen, Minister of Defence, in Auckland. Mr. Allen said that the Third Native Contingent, now at Narrow Neck Camp, was still snort'of tho.required complement, but steps were being taken to add to its numerical strength. The additions to the contingent would be New Zealand Natives. "We are going 'to see the result of the experiment,- said the Minister, "before bringing any more Natives from the Islands. The operation is.difficult and expensive;" The Minister said that he had seen the Islanders undergoing training that' afternoon. They were a fine-, lot of men, but there were great difficulties -encountered in fitting them for active sendee. They were not accustomed to this kind of life—not accustomed to boots, and not accustomed to the military food. The Department had to make the men accustomed to different food and; different clothes, and it was.a great problem. Mr. Allen's attention was drawn to an announcement made recently, that: he was to attend,- at Mercer, a conference with .the chiefs of .the numerous Waikato tribe, which has so far sent no men whatever to the Native contingents. Tho Minister said that he had seen the. Announcement referred to, but no such conference as that described had been arranged. He was not able to make any statement as to the methods to bo adopted to secure further reinforcements for the Maori Contingent. THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM. The Minister of Defence, the Eon. James Allen, stated in Auckland', that' lie thought the December draft would be filled .without difficulty; after that the position might'. require consideration. . At present, however, he had no reason for thinking.that the voluntary system would not provide all the'men required. ' - -. > AMBULANCE MEN'S EARLY DEPARTURE. Forty-two Ambulance- men ■ have been requisitioned from the Auckland district to go' into the Ambulance Camp at Palflierston /'As:the men will be re<ruired'to ! procoed oversea very, soon it is.not likely that "final leave'":'wilt be given. - . ~..,-. WORKERS' AND SHIRKERSi Taking as a text the.phrase "workers tod shirkers,'!, tho, Hon.. James Allen, Minister, of Defence, delivered a brief recruiting speech at a Carnival Queen function in the Town Hall, Auckland, on Monday. The Defence Minister said that about 7000, men. were sent away in the main body, and the country promised to keep up the/necessary reinforcements. Since then the main body had been added to, until it represented something like' 13,000 .nieri, and reinforcements had therefore to be kept up on that basis. The casualties had been very heavy—already. the total represented the number of the original main body, 7000 men.': "That' is' our responsibility," said the Minister. "We have pledged our word to the Mother Country, and to the men who have gone away from these shores, ,that we will keep urj the numbers of our force:: It rests, with us in New Zealand to' keep those reinforcements, month by month. Every four weeks wo want from 2000 to 2400 men. .We have pledged ourselves to provide that number ,of> men. Are we going to carry that out. or not? There

can be only one answer from New Zealand—wo are bound to do it, because of our pledged word, .and because our country and our Empire need it. It is no easy task beforo ns, and we are not going to do it by sitting down at our ease and .expecting that someone else will do it. So I call upon overy person here, and throughout New Zealand, to become a worker and help U6 to. find theso men. The Novomber draft is full; the December draft, I expect, will be filled soon, but every four weeks after that we must find from 2000 to 2400 trien.

"There are two ways of getting theso men. One is by the voluntary will of the' people, and the other is by the people banding themselves together and Baying that if the men will not go voluntarily then thoy will have to go. (Loud applause) It will bo a great and proud thing for New Zealand'if we can do our share in this world war by • voluntary effort alone' We can do it, and we should set ourselves to do it. We cannot all go tb the front, but those who stay behind have much work to do on behalf of the soldiers." THE MINISTER'S EASY DAY. Tho Minister of Defence arrived in Auckland from Wellington by the afternoon express on Monday. Accompanied by Major J. E. Duigan, General Staff Officer, he proceeded immediately to Narrow Neck, and made an inspection of the- Native Contingent encamped there. He also visited some of the forts. In the evening, at a Carnival Queen function in the TJown Hall, he delivered a brief Tecruiting speech. On Tuesday he visited the prisoners of war internment camp at Motuihi Island, and in the afternoon discussed recruiting questions with representatives of tho Auckland employers. Yesterday morning Mr. Allen inspected the Tunnelling Company at Avondale, and in the afternoon was present at a military parade. He left for Wellington in the evening. WELLINCTON EXAMINATIONS.

'.: Battalion Orders issued last evening by the Commander of the Fifth (Wellington) Regiment state that tho following have passed examinations: — For the ..rank of Sergeant.—Corpl. E. B. Brunton, D Company: Corpl. H. E. Ward, D Company; Corpl. l L. E. Webley, D Company; Pte. W. J. M'Keon, B Company; Pte. D. H. Mitchell, A Company; Pte. R. M. Ishcrwood, B Company ;,Lahce-Sorgt. Max Hugo.' For the rank of Corporal.—Lee.-Corpl. F. N. Stanton, D Company; Lce.-Corpl. G. A. R. Mumford, D Company: Lce.Corpl. A. Mason, D Company; Pte. J. H. Simpson, D Company; Lce.-Corpl. W. J. Duff, D Company; Lce.-Corpl. R. Parkhij D Company; Pte. C. Hawkins, C Company; Lce.-Corpl. A. B. Christeson, A Company; Pte. G. W. Wild, 0 Company; Lce.-Corpl. F. M. Abornethy, A.Company; Pte. G. F. Grieve, C Company; Pte. C. Flockton, C Company; Lce.-Corpl. E. G. Shearer. D Company, Pte. A. F. Whiting, C Company; Pte. C.-E. Tennett, A Company; Lce.-Corpl. A."M. Gardiner, B Company; Lce.Corpl. Hargreaves, A Company.