PSYCHOLOGY OF RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2745, 13 April 1916, Page 6

PSYCHOLOGY OF RECRUITING

' » : — ■ . ACCORDING .TO CAPTAIN BAR- . . .CLAY. "Have you noticed-lately that 'after every , big recruiting meeting," asked Captain Barclay' (chief recruiting officer, at' the Town Hall), "there/is a' considerable rush of recruits, which in-, elude a large percentage of unfits." As an outsider, The Dominion reporter had not had> the opportunity to know anything of the kind, and he sai<? 60. "Ah, well," said Captain ' Barclay, "the .fact is that it has b'een so." And why? "Well," said the C.R.0., "to a great exti'nt recruiting is ■ psychological. Yesterday and to-day there has been a lot of. enlistments; following, Monday's meeting, but, 1 am sorry to say,;, they,, included a larger percentage ot unfits, than has been the case for a long time past. The reason for that is that of late the air has been full of talk of compulsion, and men who have' probably, been bothered or heckled about enlisting, and who know that' they are unfit, have decided that they may as well go through the business'now, instead of waiting to be canvassed." "As • illustrating, my , point about recruiting being psychological," continued Captain Barclay, "I would point out to you that in October and November last, when the reports of severe fighting at Suvla were coming through, there was an immediate.effect ,ou recruiting—the men came forward in fine style. In. Decomber and January, when the new scheme of recruiting was being talked about as well as the distribution of badges, there was a decided check to t recruiting, and at the end of January, i when, we got to hear of the evacuation of Gallipolij and that there was no fighting; there was a lull. Then in February, when there was a delay in putting the new scheme of recruiting into effect, and trouble arose as to'.the method of distributing the badges, recruiting .fell away, and I am positive it was owing to the causes named." . The following analysis of the recruiting' at the Town Hall for nearly sis months past was furnished by .Captain Barclay:— ■ ' ■ " No. No. examined. Fitv Total average daily ex- ■ amined 5.69 4.39 Daily averageOctober 10.20 .8.20 November-' 5.20 4.19 December ;.. . 5.04. 4.13 January 6.2-1 4.72 February ....... 4.95 3.0S March- !... 6.00 4.48 Daily average (six mouths) 6.25 4.45 The difference between the' number examined and the number of fit is represented by the number of men rejected and the number deferred. . • Tenders ar« invited for a seven' Tears' lease of a farm of 200 acres in tho kiwi Valley district. Messrs. Men tenth and Ward, solicitors, Wellington, the ngeiiis for tli© owner, will rcccivc • until April 82,