OUR MAN POWER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2703, 24 February 1916, Page 7

OUR MAN POWER

CALL TO THE FIRING LINE EVERY MAN'S TURN The Recruiting Board has, writes a correspondent, "Anzac," announced the order in which men. who do not enlist for a specific draft, are to be called up, and as a very considerable number of men will have to be obtained under what tli'e board calls Category B, the announcement is highly important, particularly to married men. The board has decided to regard the men in two classes—(a) those who enlist for a definite reinforcement draft; (b) all the other recruits. The men in Category B arc to be called up in this order: — First—Single men without dependents. Second —Single men with dependents and married men without children. Third—Married men with two or less children. Fourth —Widowers with children. Fifth —Married men with more than two children. . The possibility of married men with family responsibilities having to take a sharo in »he fighting must bo realised ■by everyone. Certainly it is realised by the Government, who have built two bfe permanent camps, which aro intended to last more than a day. This article is intended to indicate whore every class of eligible men stands in relation to its obligation to go to tho front. ; -Tlie statistics used aro compiled from official figures. The total number of men of military age in New Zealand is, roundly, 248.000, 130,000 of whom aro single, and 118,000 of whom are husbands, widowers, or divorced men. Our chief numerical strength in fighting men lies in the men between ■ the ages of 21 and 30 years. The men in that group take in 60 per cent, of our total singlo men of military age, ajid 42 per cent, of the whole of our man-power. This fact is clearly shown in the following table: —

Husbands, Age Group. Sinalo. etc. Totals. 20 to 21 9,030 ' 160 9,790 21 to 25 40,300 4,640 44,940 25 to 30 38.390 22,450 60,840 30 to 3u 2L730 33,450 55,180 35 to 40 12,300 30,800 43,100 40 to 45 7,650 26,500 34,150

Totals 130,000 118,000 248,000 There are, at least 20,000 married men in tliis country who liavo no children, as many mora with only one child, and another' 20,000 with only two children. Tliia table gives the latest availnblo information as to tho conjugal condition of our married men of military age:— Children. Men. One 20,000 Two 22,000 Three ' 20,000 Four 1.4,000 It is hardly likely that the State will go beyond tho calling up of men with four children. The gross strength, obtainableby calling up men according (approximately) to the various stages mapped out by the Recruiting Board is shown from stage to stage in the following table: — ' 1. Single men without dependents 110,000 1 Single men with dependents and married men ,I'fEhout children 40,000 8. Married men with one and ' two children 42,000 4. Married men with three and four childrcii 23,000 Total thus far 215,000 Now, of these 215,000 men, some are at the 'front, some are in tho training camps, and some are unfit. Deductions must be made: — Total in question 215,000 Gone to tho front 34,000 Left in New Zealand 181,000 In training 12,000 U-ejriainiiiK in mufti 169,000 20 p.c. allowance for unfitness 43,100 Net total still available 120>900 The married men who have joined the forces equal about 15 per cent, of the total 46,000, so that tho single men equal 85 per cent., and, say, 80 per cent, of these single soldierßare without dependents. Then there is tho allround unfitness of 20 per cent, to be allowed for. Theso considerations entail the revision of the table: Gross. Called up. Unfit. Not. 1. ... 110,000 36,800 22.000 51,200 2 ... 40,000 6,900 25,100 8 ... -42,000 1,380 8,500 32,120 4 ... 23,000 920 ' 4,600 17,480

215,000 46,000 43,100 125,900

Tho number of men required of New Zealand ,every four weeks is 2,350, which means 30,550 per year.

At that rate: Our 125,900 fit men will last ti'l June, 1920.

Our single men without dependents will last till October, 1917.

With these figures as guide it. is .not difficult to arrive at about the time when each clas? should expect their call. The call of each class should oomo (about) thus: Single men without dependents, until October, 1917.

_ Single men with dependents and married men without children, from October, 1917. Married men with one and two children, from September, 1918.

Married men with three nnd four children/ from November," 1019. It is worth bearing in mind,' too, that the men take about six months to get to the front (four months in.training here, and two months en iouto).