KEEP UP RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2862, 29 August 1916, Page 4

KEEP UP RECRUITING

CONSCRIPTION MACHINERY NOT READY YET.' The Minister of Defence asks all recruiting committees all ovor New "Zealand. to keep up their offort to find men for the Reinforcements. It is jdle for the advocatoa of compulsion to say "Let tho Government put the Military Service Act into Force," because . Government is not yet ready to' do thip, and cannot possibly be ready for some time. It is hoped that everything will be ready by October. Preparations a,re now complete for the enrolment of the Expeditionary Reserve, and this will occupy a fortnight. Afterwards some time will bo oooppied in the classification of the enrolment oards, unci the compilation of the district rolls. This time may he long or short, but it is hoped now that it may be short. There was a shortage in the twentieth draft just called ,up, bub this is causing no anxiety. No difficulty will be " experienced in getting that draft up to strength, But if there are heavy shortages in the remaining drafts to be called up before tho conscription machinery 'ready, Eome embarrassment may be caused. There is-a good chance that compulsion may-not bo needed/until long after October, but until then it will, not even be possible for the Government to conscript without ballot, as, the Aot provides. some of the brothers out of shirking families of eligible brothers.