MARRIED RECRUITS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2848, 12 August 1916, Page 10

MARRIED RECRUITS

, $ AX UNREASONABLE PROPORTION. Going through tho list of recent rcistiations at the Town Hall Recruiting c < i°' , a P^ a ' n Barclay ascertained that of tho last 107 names registered on his book, 67 were single men and '40 were married. This, according to Captain Barclay, is quite an unreasonable proportion of married men to single, and something in the nature if a l?ssoa to those single men who are still hanging back. The numbers quoted are "no't those of lit mon. That in quite apart from the fact, which is that there ia a larger proportion of married men to single men who are offerinsi their services to the Empire than thsrc should be.

"The time has now passed," says Captain Barclay, "for talking platitudes about patriotism, and waving the flag with the tongue. It is now a mattor of a man's solemn duty to his country. Will a man go or will lie rmt? There are only two issues now—doing one's duty or shirking one's duty. And it is a pity in a way to see that so many married men are now coming forward when there are still so many, single ones left in tlio country whose obvious duty is to come forward anr register." As a striking commentary on 'tlif above remarks, there called at the Town Hall liecruting Office yesterday a tall, 1 well-set-up man. who gave hie occupation as the chief engineer oF li : g works in the Wellington district. Hi: wished to enlist, statin.": that he was a married man with five children.

"Cannot tike. yon," paid the officer "Why not?"

"Because yon are a' married man with five children, and it has been laid down by a Ministerial statement, that anch. men should not he enrolled."

The would-b n recruit then explained that he wished to enrol, not so much because of a desire to_"do his bit," as ,it would be an incentive to the young sing)" m"n in the works who were hanging back.

The Recruiting Officer said that his intention" was a verv worthy one, hut he would not enrol him, as there were nlentv of others with far less responsibilities who should ho coming forward, and who would he made to enmo forward by the military Service Act.