RECRUITING SLUMP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2650, 22 December 1915, Page 6

RECRUITING SLUMP

DOWN TO, ZERO PAY'S RECORD. ONE RECRUIT The dearth of ■ men for; the 'infantry, irm of the 11th Reinforcement's. continues. Reports from: all quarters, indicate that "recruiting-is at .the lowest point it has'reaclied^nce.,the.'begihriing of. the war.; The men] required to fill •...the' gaps 'in the. draft;;are;to.;gO' into camp not later than to-morrow, and it .is 'a certainty, that.V'.Tvhen the txjll is taken the 11th will still be several hundred short. : The Defence Minister said yesterday that 'the shortage! 460 infantry,l and lin detailed tho shortages as follows —< 'Autfklaud Military District ~ 150 Wellington Military District ...... 174 Canterbury Mounted District 121 Dtago Mounted District ............ 15 1 Dominion total 460 ■ The Minister's figures, show Wellingion and Auckland in much worse light than the two South Island districts, md credit Otago with falling mnch less iliort of its quota than any other dis- ". irict. :.. His figures are arrived at, presumably, by adding to. the Wellington . ind Auckland shortages the portions " »f: tlie 'southern shortages which the ~. aortherii 'districts, wero.asked : to make good.. iFor instance, Otago's actual - shortage for the lltli draft', far from ,- being 15, was nearly 200... As nearly as can be ascertained, tho shortages on the day the quotas left for Trent-ham were.:— 'Auckland Military District -.. 96 Wellington Military District .157 Canterburv Military District 170 Otago Military District 196 ' 619 After failing to- the extent of 196, Dtago (it is. reported) is to be called on to contribute only 44 towards her own mounted, 2 artillery, and 84 infantry. , Wellington's Worst Day.' : Wellington City established a fresh record in its recruiting ."career jeste'r- . flay—a-record for the smallest.' number -gf. men yet here.- . Only one ■ fit manwas entered on the books'. ' His. ...name* Johan Scliouw, seaman, Pctone, and he enlisted- for the infan- ■ try. ;. y : .-V

_••• More Men Co to Camp. ' 'The following six additional men from Hie city have been, sent to Irentliam to be added to the 11th Reinforcements Infantry.—J. Hoskiiig; A. H: Joriflan, A. B.Carter, F. J. Jackson. Mounted.—C. W. Eider. ' "Engineers.—A.'A.Davies, 'j : Captain Slmson's Scheme. : | ■ 'At a - meeting in-Wellington of the executive of the; /War league and others . oil" Monday evening, Captain Donald' Simsoii®explained "his; suggestions logardirig. a' voluntary . visible regisifra-' lion, and after a. full discussion the following motion was adopted unanimously : —' 'That this ■ meeting approves .of ; theprinciple of' voluntary visible registration, and the issue of a badge to all men, ■ except those 'who are single men of military age without dependents." There is quite a lot of talk about people exploiting the 'soldiers/ biit there is at ..least- ..one . "WelliiiKfon "business, man who*h'as;pile out of his'way to offer conci'nsishs'/lo "our boys." .Miv.A. E. M. Ho'ivlaiid;' jeweller, 90: Manners Street offers- 15 - per cent; special ' discount, off -all .soldiers' requisites, such as wristlet jratcliM, binoculars, etc.—Advt.