THE CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2722, 17 March 1916, Page 6

THE CALL FOR MEN

RALLY AT WADESTOWN

A RETURNED SOLDIER'S APPEAL A RETURNED SOLDIER'S .APPEAL A recruiting meeting was hold in the schoolroom, Wadestown, last evening, when there was ,an attendance of between 30 and 40 persons. Mr. A. Wiifin presided, and briefly introduced tho sppakers. Colonel A. do 13. Brandon, who was tho first speaker, said: "We in New Zealand do not see the horrors of tho war. If we could realise the atrocities

that are being committed by the Germans wc would begin to think of what, our fate would be should the Allies fail to win the war." Continuing, lie said it was tho duty and the privilege of a son to protect his mother, a father his, daughter, nnd a husband his wife. Tho mothers, daughters, and wives would be proud of the men when they canio forward to take thc-ir share of the burden, and to protect them. Mr. F. W. Jlanton spoke of a man who was dying from a wound, who heard his comrades cheer, and on being told the flag had been planted after "a succfissf.nl attack.'said, "Hoorah! I liolped to do it." "We must all help to do it," said Mr. Manton. The war was not going to end yet, and there was need' of every man. He asked every man to put fclie question to himself,' | "Have I done my bit?" Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand had all responded well,, but further efforts were still necessary. He believed

ill .no exemptions, arid was quite ready to servo if called upon.

Mr. J. H. Helliwell said the Recruit-

ing Committee was doing its best 'to send men to the. assistance of the Empire, and it was the duty of every man who could to assist the committee in every possible way. All must agree that the present war was a righteous war. It's perpetrators were 1 men' who had committed inhuman deeds, and they must not be_ allowed to dictate peace terms. Tho idea- that t.ho enemy wants peace was a mistake. They were prepared to sacrifice every man and every • shilling : before giving in. He thoughtsome of tho enthusiasm at the beginning of the war was dying out, but only wanted stirring up, and men would acknowledge their responsibilities. Mr. R. R. Martin, jun., spoke of tho splendid response which New Zealand had made to the call for men/ and sooke of the hardships through ; which they had gone. A fellowship had sprang up between the Australians and New Zealanders, and it had lasted right through • tho Gallipoli campaign. Some neople thought it was only men. in tho front firing lino who were subjected to incessant firing, but this was not' so. Po 'showed that the Artillorv. the Engineers, the Army Service Corps, and the Ambulance men all had an enual share of danger to face. , and all hid acquittpd themselves well. Australia

was makinc a ererit effort to enrol nion to heln finish the work which had beert so "-ell Ivvmn. nnd Now Zealand rojist not he behind. Those who were ineligible for .service should assist the recruiting movement by persuading thpso of their fripnds who were hanging back. The following resolution, moved bj Mr. A. Wiffhi, and seconded by the-Hev Mr. Harvey, was carried unanimously:

"That this meeting oledgcs itself to usn every 6ndeayour to further the objects of the Recruiting Committee." RECRUITING IN AUCKLAND . By Telegraph—Press * Auckland, March 16. . Fifty-three recruits registered to-day. 2:1 being accepted and 13 deferred. THE DUNEDIN CAMPAIGN Dunedln, March 16. ■ By Telegraph—Press Association. The new recruiting £übemo will ' be launched in Dunedln on Tuesday nest with a series of processions and recruiting .meetings. Returned soldiers, 'i erritorials, women's organisations, lire brigades, school ciuldren, and bey Soouts will participate, The recruiting DooXlis, will be opeji'3ay and night. An effort will be made to have all men medically • examined immediately on en-' rolling. The city has been blocked off into nineteen districts, under sectonal committees, who will personally supervise the canvassing. It in hoped the Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) w'U be present at the launching oi the'scheme. MONSTER MEETINGIT GREYMOUTH By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Creyniouth, March 16. A monster recruiting meeting was held in the Town Hall to-night, when addresses were given by the Minister of Defence (Hon. James Allen), who missed the West Coast express and came oil by a special train, which arrived at ten o'clock. A stirring address was delivered by Mr. G. Jolly, of Christchurch, and a resolution was passed approving of the Government's recruiting scheme, and promising every assistance, the motion being carried amidst cheering. ■

An Auckland soldier, writing from Cairo, where he is in hospital,, says: "The feeling about shirkers is very keen here just now, for we have received papers stating that'a large number rei'uss to enlist under any circumstances Those fellows ! are scared of their skins j why don't they send their sisters to fight for them? I suppose they run away with the idea that- we are fond of-the business. I dpn't think I am, but it has to be done, so why not get iuto.it? I am just as fond of taking the girls to tea, or to the pictures as tliey are, and so are the other boys here, but I had to make some sacrifices. "Why cannot they? Anyway, most of the remarks passed here on the .subject are unprintable, and when some of the consorints arrive tliev will hear all about it."'' /■ '

, Considerable discussion took place at the Onslow Borough Council last evening on the question as to whether recruiting meetings should bo held at ILaiwarra and Ngaio or not. The councillors representing these wards considered that meetings could havo no good effect. Eventually it was decided to. leave the matter in the hands of the local Recruiting Committee to carry out the previous resolution to hold meetings in the two places named.

To-night's recruiting meeting will be held in the open air at Boulcott Streot, commencing at 8 o'clock. Hie sneakers will include Messrs. I?. A. Wright, M.P., W. Perry, and D. Weir..