NATIONAL REGISTER AND RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2639, 9 December 1915, Page 6

NATIONAL REGISTER AND RECRUITING

PRESENT METHODS MUST BE

CONTINUED

UNTIL NEW SCHEME IS

ORGANISED

'POSITION OF SHIRKERS

• Both the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister made statements yesterday informing the public that the issuo of preliminary National Register results does not mean that suddenly there will be a, complete change in our methods ,()f'"'recruitmg.. .

"I ; think, in view of the fact that New Zealand lias 6ent away over 30,000 men,"'' said the Primes-Minister, "and that there are, or will be within a few days, 12,000 "or 13,000 in camp, it is a splendid- thing that over 100,000 men have expressed their willingness to go to the front if need be, and it must be very gratifying to everyone—even to. those with only the merest spark of 'patriotic .feeling. . • "It goes almost without saying that this does not mean the cessation of irccruiting in the slightest degree, although it will make things easier for i considerable timo to come." RECRUITINC MUST CO ON. POSSIBLE CHANGES IN FUTURE. "The public must not take this registration result," said the Defence Minister, "as an indication that tiie existing method of dealing with recruiting is to be suddenly done away with. J\or are they to take it .that registration means that these men have volunteered -for service.' They yet have to enlist, , aild .'the organisation for getting them to enlist, arid in the way most suitable to the Defence Department, has yet to be worked out. That will take a little time. "We want the public to understand that, so far as the present recruiting requirements are concerned —that is, for the December-January • quotas—they must continue to do just as they have : been doing; efforts must not be relaxed, and those who are/assisting us in getting recruits forvDecember and January must keep this fact, in mind. "The Department has the wholo scheme of recruiting under consideration in view of the registration results. The system, will have to be reviewed and altered. We have got to devise a means of getting at those men who have expressed readiness to go, and enrolling them-and calling them, up as we require them.. This detail is being worked out and wo hope .to hare it in operating i order before long, and I will then submit it to the public. What we may do I cannot say yet. Wo may send a registration card to everyone who has offered his services, and whom we want to call up first of all,_ with 'a circular asking what branch it is desired to join, and what month would be most suitable t-o be called up. This is only a suggestion; I don't know that ,we mil adopt it yet. 1 But what we would like the men to do would be to enrol for a, definite month—so they will come up for January,' February, or March— and then if we have not sufficient quotas for those months, we .oan call upon the recruiting organisations (which we will have to make more perfect throughout the various districts) to look s round and personally' interview,' and help to get sufficient men.

"The ideal \ way would be for us to have every month's'requirements filled up so that' we should know the men .were ready; and probably it would'be as well to have a list of those prepared to come ,up at any time. That would be a very, useful list.

. "It is a splendid result," added tho Minister with enthusiasm, "and splendid to Itnow that 109,000 men are available. It is splendid alsotoknow that they will be ready to go if they pass the test. ■ But we must have a severe medical test,; and that will reduce the number considerably. There may also be some who volunteer to go who cannot be spared from our industries. That also has to be considered. All this, has to be considered "in our organisation scheme, so that it -will take us a little time; and I' want the ■ public to see that for the next two months at least we have to go on as we have been doing.'-'., . No Way to Reach the Unwilling. Mr. Allen was asked whether' he proposed to take any action about the men without denendents who refuse to render any service.

"I don't sen any way , to , touch them," Said Mr. Alton. "I think wo must call up first the men who are willing to go. I' don't see how wo can do anything else. Of course, we shall endeavour to find the recruits required according to 'the classification in tlie National Registration; thafcv is to say, .we: shall draw , first upon the single men without' dependents." Mr.- Allen .also said that he hoped to have tho new recruiting scheme based on the Register in oDeration by the end of January. Until then the present system imist bo continued.