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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2704, 25 February 1916, Page 6

- Men .Must-be Found. '"There may be a diversity of opinion: ' as to what requires to be done at present to enable the Dominion to keep faith with the "Imperial authorities ■ by ; sending forward the reinforcements we have pledged ourselves to , send every ' four weeks," said the Minister of Muni- • Hon. A. I/. Mjers), in .Auckland.' "Nevertheless, • I think that-all loyal citizens should set aside every other, consideration , and. ..energetically support the policy -which, after maturo thought, lias been evolved by the Re- , cruitmg Board. : If, subsequently,, another course of. action is deemed neces-r 'sarv; the Cabinet will duly, review the position. Hie all-important fact before . this country' at tlio moment is that i there must be '.no hesitation on. the ' part of any individual, or section of the : community, in performing their duty ,to : their King: and Empire ; That. being '. undeniably the case'; I trust, there will be no failure on the part of anyone ■ in New Zealand to carry out the, wislies ■ ■■of those, who are, for the time being, in authority. .- t "If it be correct, as reported, that . there is'a shortage of rccruits for the next infantry, reinforcements,') \contimied 'the Minister, "it only forms-a ■. more clear justification.'for'.everyone in the ■ Dominion to wholcS-lieartedly . and enthusiastically' recognise. : irrespective of tlieir own. theories, what should be done. Men Lave beetvpromised to Great ■Britain, and men must be .found."-, , Sailing of the Next Draft. "When questioned, in the south, on„the suggestion that the steamers with the --.next, reinforcements from New Zealand should leave Dunedin, the Hon. Mr. Allen said ho had discussed the matter - with Brigadier-General' Eobiii, and t}ie ' .difficulties in the' way wore such : that it was not likely .that the, suggestion would be carried out'. ■ Badges, and -Young -Faces,"'/ I .' A gentleman in, Ohristchurcli recently wrote to the Recruiting Board , upon the point of issuing badges to : men over the military age,'.:whb. do not Icok it.!, He .lias received a- reply, statinjj "that ■ tho board liad considered the question, v and deeded-in the. mean--time to take no action in tlie matter. ' The board, however, would be prepared ■ to give further consideration 1o the question if in future itlwas-■ shown there were a sufficient number if eases 1.; to warrant a distinctive badge being adopted. - • -■•■••■- , ; - ' ; Not Enough" Rccruits; • 1 .The.'falling-ofF' in the number of ro- . 'emits;in the Auckland district was referred; to this week by Colonel J. E. I' Hume^-officer commanding the district. I "When* the last,.returns .were. made," j-; he said,'"these was it deficient-; of 250 " men for tho infantry branch''of ; the :■ -next , reinforcements,wlii'ch -go* into ~ camp,. 'early in 'March. _ ,VMen.?. offering V their ; services in the' infantry' can go •■ into training almost at once." - i ;Thirtoentli Reinforcements. In 'conversation with a "Lyttelton i Times" reporter the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defence, said •' that the ' Thirteenth Reinforcements practically were complete. The shortage was only ' about'-sixty,'and'there was no doubt ' that-it.'would be made up without-'any i difficulty. """ .Canterbury and Recruiting. The Canterbury quota of the Fourteenth' Reinforcements is to mobilise in Wellington on Wednesday, March 8. • So far Christ-church lias secured 50 of ; the 110 infantry required from this district for the next- Reinforcements. Fourth Maori Reinforcements. ! The" fourth Maori Reinforcements v.ill bo mobilised at the Narrow Neck trftm. ing camp during tiie'presont week. Ai- ■ ready.' ■80 men have been assembled, ' and have commenced-their training: When; the reinforcements have reached ■" their full establishment, 300 men will bo in draining. .■Calling Out the Classes. : In Christchurcli the Defence JlimV - tor's attention was called to a possibility mentioned with regard to Vl.-c calling-up by the Recruiting Board ei i the men in the two classes, A (tho mer who enlist for service on a particalai ; ' date),j and B (the men who oilist ! stating their readiness to go at H days' • notice). • "I see it is suggested," said Colonel Allen, "that men in Class A—who enlist for a definite date—may put thai r date so distant, that the men in c';is; B—who are supposed to enlist at lourtecn' days' notice, for tho purposo oi filling -shortages only, and who will bt ■ callcd out in definite order according tc their responsibilities and state—win all lie expended. Wo have considered this, ' as a remote possibility, and it maj dear the .air to state that no man ma} enlist in Class A for more 'than six months, ahead. It is certainly not con- ! templated to allow single men to en- .' ' list in Class A for such a distant date and in such numbers as to make il nccessary. to call out men, with, re- ■ sponsibifities in Class B to'fill the deficiencies, '-Mid;, -the ■■ sis - months' douse ! ... should "prevent this,'' "'