THE CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2643, 14 December 1915, Page 6

THE CALL FOR MEN

i .—. —* THE ELEVENTH DRAFT. MOBILISATION BEGINS TO-DAY DOMINION POSITION SHORTAGE IN THE INFANTRY The mobilisation of the Eleventh Reinforcements begins to-day, and the latest recruiting returns indicate a 6erious shortage in infantry. Ample men are available for other branches. The tables which follow, are compiled from the published official returns, which* purport to give the position as at tho end of Inst week. Tho Dominion position as regards the arms for which men are required for the Eleventh draft is as follows, and last week's figures are inserted for purposes of comparison:— Week's Dec. 4. Dec. 11. gain. Mounted 535 641 106 Artillery 420 527 107 Engineers 197 . 327 130 Signal Service ... 59 64 r. Infantry ( 1,285 1,522 237' A.S.C. 254 296 42 Ambulance ; 245 311 66 Totals 2,995 3,688 693 The positions' of the military districts are. Auckland Military District. Total fit on , r , - Quota, books. Mounted gg isa Artillery 41 137 Enginecro 24 79 Signal Service .: 6 , 23 Gantry 415 583 ' A.S.C 13 * 102 Ambulance 5 118 Wellington Military District. , r , , Quota. Available. Mounted. 126 ''61 Artillery 53 ■ . 20G i-nginecrs 31 ig 8 ~ Signal Service g °5 » Infantry 537 -562 A.S.C 7 * 99 Ambnlance 16 iog Canterbury Military District. Totai fit on , r . . ■ Quota, books. Mounted 97 in Artillery 40 100 Iwigineers 23 43 Signal Service 6 n I . u £ a s tr r ', 271 A.5.C. 5 44 Ambulance 12 45 Otago Military District. . .. Quota. Available. 1 i'il -7 69 C 8 Artillery ■ 30 ; . 8i iiiigmeers 17 Signal. Service 1 5 5 D'fantry 295 10G 4 iP", •••• 3 51 Ambulance 9 41 The Wellington and Otago districts have shown how they stand in relation to the force to go into camp this week by statnig the numbers of men fit aud available for that draft. Auckland and Canterbury have merely shown tlie total numbers of lit meu 011 their books, and atnong the total are some who have specifically stated that they- will not be available till alter Christmas. .Judging by the Wellington return, the total fits should 'be reduced by about 30 per cent, in order to arrive at the number available for this month. Working on those lines, a shortage. of- nearly 400 infantry is revealed. The chief arms are-the infantry and the mounted. The apparent position regarding infantry is:— . Reckoned availQuota. able. Short. Over. Auckland H.D. 415 410 5 — Wellington M.D. > 537 562 —-.25. Canterbury M.D. 411 190 221 — Otago M.D. ...... 295 106 189 - Totals ; 1,658 1,268 '415 25 Net shortage, 390. The position as to the mounted branch ' appe-ars to Reckoned availQuota. able. Short. Over Auckland M.D. ... 98 132 - 34 Wellington M.D. 126 261 — 135 Canterbury M.D. 97 86 11 — Otago M.D. ...... '69 G8 1 - Totals 390 547 1 12 169 Net surplus,. 157. Tho iufantry state of the tiro islands may be set down thus:— Reckoned availRequired. able. Short. Over. North Island .' 952 972 —■ 20 South Island 706 296 410 — TotAls :.. 1,658 1,268 410 20 Net shortage, 390. <\ . THE WEEKLY PERCENTAGES. The Defence Department issued its weekly list of recruiting percentages yesterday. The district percentages of the total registrations in the Dominion, were stated to be:— Percentage Population registered, percentage. Auokland 26.65 23. Wellington { . 48.41 • 32.4 Canterbury 16.42 . 24.8 Otago 9.49 17.8 Tho district percentages for the various 'arms a.re 66t out thus-.— Auck. Wgtn. Cant. Otago. Mounted 20.49 51.46 18.77 9.28 Artillery 20.03 50.77 ■' 16.08 13.12 Engineers 21.28 60.26 13.08- 5.38 Signal Service 27.38 52.38 13.10 7.14 Infantry 28.17 48.48 ' 1G:03 7.32 A.S.C : 29.24 .41.80 14.48 14.48 Ambulance ... 32.62 40.43 15.36 11.59 .Veterinarians.!. 19.35 48.39 19.35 12.91 Hospital Ship.. 1 . 28.70 50.00 11.11 10.19 Tunnellers .... 48.22 28.57 19.64 3.57 Maoris , 52.63 47.37 - ' - .Sainoan Relief..'.' 25.00 4.17 56.25 14.58