THE CALL TO ARMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2733, 30 March 1916, Page 7

THE CALL TO ARMS

RECRUITING SCHEME

GOOD RESPONSE BY LOCAL BODIES

"NOT AT THE END OF THE WAR"

A statement on the working of the recruiting scheme, and on recruiting generally, was made yesterday' by the Prime Minister, vho is chairman of the Ilocruiting Board. . - "On tho whole, the local bodies have taken up the work of recruiting in a satisfactory manner, though some ,of them do not like the work of interviewing the men of military-age, or eyen arranging for such work to be done by others possessing a larger sharo of the qualifications for the propose," said Mr.; Massey. "Still, the response haß been i good, there being only three local bodies that refuse to do anything out M the ' 223 who have w far directly replied to the board. Thero is hope for two of those, but none for the other. Many complaints are heard of single man, sometimes of several in one family, who refuse to assist by taking up arms, and shelter themselves behind the excuse that they are producers and that they ere doing as useful work as if they were at -the front. That is an excuse which cannot always ho acoepted. That there must be certain exemptions we all know, but, speaking generally, no semce cm* take the place of military service,. We ■ ltave reached that stage of the ; war when particularly the physically fit single men, unless there is very good reason to the oontrary, are expected to take their place as fighting men and the work of production, in many mdtismust be left largely to thoso who cannot qualify as physioally fit, or who arc older or younger than the military ag«. ~ , . "There -are many men now ithrougli- ■ out the Empire who thought they had ■ retired from the active business iof life, but who are to-day working as hard as .in the hey-day of their youth, and they are doing it cheerfully because • they are helping the . Empire through the. most serious crisis in its history, and oven if they are past the fighting age, they are doing the work of others who are already in' the fighting line. So with the women. There are many duties at present 1 done by men 'which can be. equally well done byv women, and must oe done, by women if . the war lasts, and so far as X am able W judge, the women are willing and anixious to do their full sharo in any, possible capacity. Let us make no mistake j we are not at the end of the warj neither aro we at the end of our resources. New Zealand was the'first of_ the Dominions to respond-to the Empire's call, and, whatever the ' sacrifice, dr whatever happens. New Zealariders'will carry on, in co-operation with-their, fellowcitizens of the Empire,- unti) Germany's power iVbroken, and'until victory oomes to Britain and her Allies. "Evidence of what can: he done_ in furtherance of the. board's recruiting 6cheme-when the work is taken in hand by a band of enthusiastio workers is afforded by the labours'of the Ashley County Recruiting Committee, of which Professor F. W. Haslam is the hon. 6eoretary and organiser. The committee carefully checked its own roll in conjunction with the rolls of the adjacent local bodies, with the result that it has added to the original roll supplied by the Recruiting Board from the National Register nearly as many names as V/ere on it, ill addition to transferring to their proper rolls the names of men that appeared in error on the Ashley , County roll. The Ashley Committee ■then completed its very excellent work ; by having its amended and amplified roll reprinted for the use of the canvassers frho are making tho personal appeal."

MONTHLY QUOTAS

NUMBERS REQUIRED FROM EVERY LOCALITY. ,■WELLINGTON DISTRICT FIGURES. .The presont allotment of quotas for the four-weekly reinforcement drafts for every group area in "the Wellington Military District ha a been based on the preliminary results of the National Register figures of all classes, of-men -of military age in each, group. Eighty per 1 cent, of the men are required for the infantry arm of the service. ' From the Wellington Military District 'the following men are required monthly: ; Infantry n.c.o.'s - 32 i. Infantry ■•••■ 612 Mounted n.c.o.'s 2 Mounteds 34 Artillery n.0.0.'s .....v.i . 2 Artillery 32... Engineer n.c.o. 1 Engineers 8-, Signal Service 2 'A.S.O. n.c.o. 6 ; A.S.O. ; 6 Ambulance n.c.o. 1 •Ambulance 7 Total n.c.o.'s 39 Total men ,701 Grand total The following shows the numbers of men available in every locality in the Wellington Military District and the monthly quota required from thorn: — Croup 5 (Wetllngton city and Suburbs). Boroughß. Men of military age. Quota. Wgtn. City 167 every 4 weeks Karori 250 3 „ 4 ~ .< Miramar .... 260 .3 „ 4 „ Onslow ........... 400 6 „ 4 „ Petone 1250 13 „ 4 j, Lower Hutt 850 9, „ 4 ~ Eastbourne 120 _ 3 „ 8 „ Counties. Makara ...... 260 10 „ 12 „ : Hutt ......... 650 8 „ 4 „ . Town Districts. Jobnsonville 210 4 » 6 „ Upper Hutt 230 3 „ ' 4 „ Croup 6 (Manawatu and Wanganui). Boroughs. Men of : military age. Quota. Wanganui ...• 2600 31 every 4 weeks Marton 400 5 „ 4 ~ Taihape 500 6 „ 4 „ Feilding 700 . 17 „ 8 }> Foxton 400 5 „ 4 „ PalmerstonN. 2,000 24 „ 4 3 , Levin .. 360 13 „ 12 „ Counties. Wanganui ... 520 6 „ 4 ~ ] Eangitikei ... 1100 13 „ 4 ~ , Kiwitea 450- 8 „ 6 „ Pohangina .... 760 9 „ '4 „ Oroua 540 " 13 „ 8 „ Manawatu ... 630 8 „ 4 „ Kairanga 700 17 „ 8 „ Horowhenua 1000 12 4 „ Town Districts. Lethbridge ... 80 1 ~ 4 „ Mangaweka... 100 5 „ 16 „ HunterviUe 180 2 4 ~ Bulls 180 2 „ 4 „ Ilongotea ..... 110 2 „ 6 „ Otaki 230 3 „ 4 „ Castlecliff .... 100 5 „ 16 „ Gonville ...... 220 - 4; „ 6 „ Croup 7 (Hade's Bay ana Povorty Bay). Boroughs. Gisborne ... 2100 28 every 4 weeks Men of military age. Quota. Gisborne ... 2100 28 every 4 weeks Wairoa 330 13 ~ 12 ~ Napier ...... 2100 28 ~ i „ Hastings ... -1700" 22 „ 4 „

Counties. Waiapu ...... 650 1 9 » 4 „ Waikohu ... 650 9 » 4 » Cook 1100 14 i) 4 Wairoa ...... 390 5 „ 4 ~ Hawke's Bay 1400 18 ,> 4 ~ Town Districts. Mangapapa 160 2„ 4 „ Taraaale 150 2 ~ 4 „ Havelook North 220 3 „ 4 „ Croup Ta (Wairarapa). Boroughs. , Men of military age. Quota. Waipawa ... 210 _ 4 every 6 ccks Waipulatrau 250 3 " Is> Damievirko , 630 8 „ 4 „ AVoodville ...'. 250 3 „ 4 „ Pahiatua ... 260 13 „16 ■„ Eketahuna ... 160 „ 4■ „ Masterton ... 1000 12 n : " Carterton ... 320 4 ~ 4 ~ Greytown .... 180 9» 16 » Counties. Waipawa ... 500 6>, 4 ~ AYiupukurau 75 1 » £ itPatangata .... 300 11 »12 „ Dannevirko 650 7 „ 4- ~ Weber. 100 , o „lb ,» Woodville . 190 7„ 12 „ Pahiatua ... 475 6 ~ 4 ~ Alritio 325 4 „ 4 „ Eketahuna' ... 320 4 „■ 4 » Mauriceville 130 5 „ 16 „ Castlepoint - • 150 - 2 „ 4 „ Slasterton ... 700 9 » 4 „ Wairarapa ' . South 875 7 „ 6 „ Featherston 600 6 ~ 4 ~ ' Town Districts. Otane 70 I>> 4 „ Norsewood ;... ■ 75 1 „ * '» Ormondville 53 1 » 6 ». Martinhorough 200 5,, 8 „ Feathersfon 250 ■ 8 „ 4 „ Croup 8 (Taranakl and Part Main . TrunU). Boroughs. I Mon'of military age. Quota.. every week. New Plymouth 1200 14 u 4 „ Waitara ...,' 280 5 „ 6 „ Inglewood ... 250 3,, 4 „ Stratford 450 8,, 6 » Eltham 890 . 9 8 „ Hawera ...... 900 11 »v 4 „ Patea ... 250 '3 „ 4 Ohakune ...' 320 4 „ 4 ~ Taumarunui 520 6 „ 4 „ Counties. Egmont' 520 6 „ 4 „ Taranaki ... 1100 13 „ 4 „ Clifton. 450 8 „ 6 „ Stratford ... 850 10 -4 „ Eltham ...... 320 4 „, 4 „ Whangamomona 380 9 » 8 ~ Waimate West 320 4 ~ 4 „ Hawcra. 450 ,8 ~ 6 ~ Patea ........ 500 '6 „ 4 ~ AVaitotara ... 400 . 7 „ 6 „ Ohura 380 7 „ 4 „ Waimarino ... 520 6•» 4 „ Kaitieke '650 23 „12 „ • t ; Town Districts. Opunake ....... 180 2 „ 4 „ Kaponga ... 140 5,, 12 » Manaia ....... 180 2 „ 4 „ Normanby, ... 120 3,, 8 ~ Waverley ~... 180 2 „ 4 „ Raotihi ...... 225 4 „ 6 „ Rangatua ... 150 5 ~ 12 „■ Manunui .... 220 5 „ 8 ~

RECRUITING SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD

VOLUNTARY'SYSTEM ON LAST TRIAL. By Telegraph—Pross Association." I . Dunedln, March 28. Long before 8 p' clock to-iiight, the advertised time o fthe meeting, His Majesty's Theatre was crowded, ' the occasion being a recruiting speech by Sir. JosephWard..,,.-Every;; available space in the'theatre'was orowdedi' including the stage .and the "wings," olose on 3000 people being present. Hundreds of persons were unable to gain admission.. The Mayor, Mr. J. J. Clarke, presided, and among those who had seats on the stage were the local members of Parliament and members of the Recruiting' Committee. he Regimental Band was in attendance and played martial airs. . The chairman, in his introductory remarks, said that Sir Joseph was not only a brilliant New Zealand statesman, he was one of their great Imperial leaders, and when the Dominions took their place in all councils of the Empire, Sir Joseph would probably be one of those who would be called to a great united Imperial council. (Applause.) Sir, Joseph Ward, who was received with prolonged cheers and applause, delivered a stirring address, and made an appeal to the physically fit who had no home ties or 'responsibilities to come forward and enlist. Why did they hear the persistent cry for conscription ? _It was beeapse there were families with stalwart and physically fit sins who had not sent one man to fight, while their neighbours had sent in some instances every male member who could shoulder a rifle. The voluntary system was on its last trial in New Zealand. Was it to be said after the war that our young men had to be driven to the front at the point of the bayonet? "I do not believe in conscription," he added. "I believe it would be adopting that system of Prussian militarism that has done so much, to make Germany a nation of serfs, controlled by the war lords." He made a strong appeal to the men of'the country to come for-' ward voluntarily. We had done magnificently up to the present, and should continue to do so. Canada, South Africa, and Australia had not gone in for conscription, and he wanted to see all the men needed enrolled under the present system, but if we oould not find SJoOO men per month—that was the number required for reinforcements—it would be the duty of Parliament to give power to the Government to have oonscription established. (Applause.). When Sir Joseph concluded his speech he received prolonged applause, and a cordial vote of thanks was accorded the Minister for his speech.