RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2629, 26 November 1915, Page 6

RECRUITING

DOMINION POSITION

INFANTRY URGENTLY NEEDED

FOR NEXT DRAFT

The 6tate of recruiting generally in Now Zealand was inquired into by a Dominion representative yesterday. On the best of authority it was .ascertained that, while there is not the least cause for pessimism, some effort will need to be mado in order to ensure the getting of the December Force. For several branches of the Force there are, of' course, eaiou'gh moil now. on the books, but there aro not enough infantry or mounted men enrolled, aiid it is for these two important arms that men are urgently needed all over Now Zealand within the next two weeks.

Another matter which causes the General Staff some concern is the failure of men. to parade when called up to go into camp.. 'The Chief of the' Staff says that he considers that it is the duty of every, man. who is called up to respond to that call. 'lhe December force • will be ■ the Eleventh Reinforcements, who are due to • move into. Trontham on December 14. That force is to be 2400 strong, and the chief arms are to be: ; Infantry.... 1660 , Mounted 388 Both arms 2048 At present the gross registrations in New Zoaland are probably Detween 3500 and. 4000. . The infantry and mounted registrations may bo set down (on a fairly liberal estimate) as: Infantry 1200 Mounted 500 ' Both arms .'... 1700 Those are gross figures. To make adequate allowance for men medically unfit ■and men not available in December, not less than 50 per cent, can be deducted, so that the position appears to be: December requirements. In hand. Shortage. Infantry ... 1660 600 1060 Mounted ... 388 250 138 Both arms 2048 850 1198 ■ Therefore, in the nest two weeks or so the authorities appear to need to recruit about 1200 fit and availabl" tiifn for these two important arms. It it anticipated ' that the infancy will lie more difficult to secure than the mounted. For one thing many more infantry than mounted are required. To obtain the 1060 fit and available infantry about 2000 infantry may have to be registered. This means registering infantrymen at the rate of a thousand a week.

Recruiting is reported to be very dull in Wellington City and Auckland City, which, up to the present, havo been two of the best recruiting centres in the Dominion.

Last week was the poorest recruiting week Auckland hajs experienced, as is shown by tho following figures:— Week eliding October 16 164; w>ek ending October 23, 147'j week ending October 30, 110; week ending November 6 ,134; week ending November 13, 97; week ending November 20, 68. Last week's recruiting was the best witnessed in Christchurch for some timo, the figures being Monday, 60: Tuesdajr. 43 ; Wednesday, 30; Thursday, 33; Friday, 27—an average of over 86. The parade of the Eighth Reinforce-ments-is. held to be largely responsible for this. ' Otago was 40 men short of its quota for the Tenth Reinforcements. A recruiting campaign is being arranged In the Wellington Military District there were about 1600 men on tho books at the end of last week, of which about 500 were infantry and about 250 mounteds. Deducting o0 per cent, to arrive at the numbers fit and immediately available, the Wellington Military District's position may bo shown thus:— December | , . require- ' ments. In hand. Shortage. Mounted ... 126 125 1 Both arms.... 663 375 288 Infantry ... 537 250 287 LATEST REC.RUITS. Only seven fit recruits were enrolled' on the City books .yesterday, and only three signed on for infantry. The men were' Godfrey Clias. Staub, hairdresser, Newtown (infantry). H. J. Barlow, plumber, Lower Hutt (engineers). Donald J. M'Lean, accountant, City (artillery). Cyril Mackley, Civil Servant, Citv (artillery). \ ' } Bernard 6. Quin, confectioner. Newtown (infantry). Robt. Lockerby, store man, City (in. fantry). Frank Tait, salesman, City (Ambu. lance). Thirty-three hospital orderlies from Wellington City went into camp at Trentham_ yesterday. Their names were published in yesterday's Dominion. Eighteen more are wanted at once, and candidates are nsked to parade at the Garrison Hall, Buckle Street, on Saturday morning.