RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2863, 30 August 1916, Page 6

RECRUITING

20TH REINFORCEMENTS

BIG INFANTRY/SHORTAGE

MEDICAL REJECTIONS

The mobilisation of the 20th Reinforcements at Featherston Camp has . - been completed, and the official returns • show a shortage in all arms of 360 men. ■ The number of men called up to fill tho ranks of the 20th Reinforcements and . the 22nd N.C.O.'s was approximately .2300, 'so..that the shortage amounts to V rather more thaii 15 per cent, of the nominal strength of the draft. The • .shortages for the various military dis- '' tricts were as follow:—

•/,, Nearly half -.the total shortage is at- : tributable to the Wellington Military ■ District, which sent into camp 129.men , fewer than its proper quota of infantry, and then had tho deficiency increased to 151 owing to the,, rejection of 22 '' V recruits on medical grounds. The short- . ■ ages for the various arms in the WellDistrict (not including N.C.O.'s). ," wero as follow: —

The various districts bare lieen asked to make up their shortages by. to-day, but the, information which has reached . the Defenco Department , already indi- ■ cates that the number, of men sent forward will not be large, enough to bring the latest draft to full strength. Seventeen, additionalmen were sent to Feathorston from Wellington City yes- - terda.y, and others will follow to-day. 'Any fit man who wishes to join the infantry can be sent: to Featherston • ••. without delay. ; .' ,

Enlisted Men Fail to Turn Up. .The present shortage, ..like some previous shortages, is due not so much to lack of recruits as to the failure of enlisted men to answer tie call to • .camp. Scores of men in alll parts of the country had registered, for service f/f and stated their, willingness., to. go into camp by a particular date; but when '!-;;they were summoned to join the colours they did not respond/ and they failed - in very many cases to make any sort of explanation. ' New Zealand's pre- • Bent method. of registration does' not, the; Defence authorities' any hold - over recruits .until they have actual ly entered camp and been attested. There' ' r are-men who have been called up sev- ■ eral times during the last {six months, and who are still wearing their civilian i clothes and the khaki badge of enlisted .; men. Heavy Medical Rejections. ho fewer than 81 men' who went to " i with, the Twentieth Beinforcements were rejected on medical grounds at the- preliminary examination ■ in tho camp. All these men had been ,)v-. passed as fit for servico at tho time of ~• ■ their enlistment in their own districts, • and somo of them had. made substantial

sacrifices, and travelled . long distances, only; to find. that they- could not be . allowed to wear tho uniform. No pre"yitrus draft had suffered so severely : , in this respect, and General Henderson, Director of Medical Services, told a Dominion reporter yesterday that he 'v • • wasmaking s inquirieswith; tho object of _ ascertaining ; if any special : reason "• existed, for the' large number of rejections. He fully realised, he said, that ■real hardship might oocur in theicases of /men who were • rejected as unfit : : < aftfsr their arrival in camp, despite the - fact_ that they had been passed by . mcdical officers in their own districts. Ho .had asked for a report on the subi ject, and, if necessary, he would.: constatute a board of inquiry. The men re- ■ jeoted" in. this way, it may be mentioned, are not stranded'in Wellington. They are returned to their own disat the - cost of 1 the.. Dcfence De- ■ partment. -.

Local Examinations. . Tho rejection of so many men by..tie , . camp medical staff suggests 'tiat district medical officers may have been ' tempted to relax ■ their. requirements, y; owing to tie shortage of recruits. There .; appears to be little doubt that tie proportion of medically unfit men among those volunteering for'service is increasing, as would be expected in view ■ of . the very heavy drain, already made . upon the manhood of the community. : But'there is nothing. in. tie Welling- . - ton figures,. at' any rate, to slow tlat . . tie local_ examiners are lax. Of 66 men registered in 'Wellington within the last • few days, 38 lave been passed by the >•'. doctors, so that over 42 per cent, were /'rejected as -unfit. This "would he regarded as a ligh percentage of , rejections in any country. The men set down as "unfit" include many who could be made available for ser- . .vice by, medical treatment. Men Leave For Camp. ..i. Tlie following men from Wellington ■ City .were sent to Fealherston yesterday .to reduce the shortage in the ■ Twentieth Reinforcements: J. Bourlie, A. Reid, A. A. Jones, G. Dick, D. .Irwin, J. Wright, W. F. E. Taylor, F. Humphries, T. Sullivan, T. King, W. H. O'Hanlon, S. H. Wood, W. J. Kunn, G. Putedda, A. Betti, D. Dev- ;;;; .Jin, M. W. Burnett. " Additional Recruits. Tie following men.lave registered in Wellington City and have been acccpted for serv'ice with the infantry:— . J. >M. Andrew, farmer; City. , C. Beattic, railway servant, City. J. M. f Scott, chauffeur, City. W. J. Ryan, boilermaker, Hutt. A. E. Anderson, fitter, City. ' , R. A. Fair, farmer, Ractihi. T. Andrews, farmer, Raetribi. ' T. Humphreys, butcher, City. •J. Dick, musician, City. H. Liddle, farmer, Johnsonville. P. L. Morgan, slaughterman, John--v Bonville. E. Stringer, slaughterman, City. V. H. K. Perkins, Garrison Artillery. . 11. E. Thornton, clerk, City. i: W. A. Hart, boilermakcr, City. S. M'Cullock, butcher, Evans " fa v. • •H. F. M'llroy, dealer, City. T. E. Williams, driver. City. A. Pearcey, seaman, City. R. S. M'Hardie, cadet, Otaki. F. E. Letford, railway porter, City. R. C. Sutherby, plumber, Otaki. L. B. Burston, farmer, Otaki. J. H. Maclachlan, carpenter, City. W. G. Simpkin, trimmer, City. .. J. Guthrie, clerk, City. J. H. Harvey, steward, City. (i. J. Jensen, sailor, Lyail Bay. . G. Jensen, sailor, Lyall Bay. J, M. Mahoijey, farmer, Johnson- . Ifille. . S. Hill Pickering, cashier. City. V. R. Delaney, casliier, City._ J.R. Johnstono, storonian, City. • A. Williams, farmor. Paraparaumu. T7. Archer, baker. City. ' : H. C. Maunder, printer, City. 11. M'Anerin, storeman, K,irori.

Infantry. Other Arms. Total. 'Auckland ..... 61 . . 17 78 : ■Wellington ."T.. 151 - '13 164 . Canterbury ... 48 ■ 11 .59 Otago 51 8 59 , 311 19 , ■ 360

, . Pro- Shorfcv . Required: vided. age. ■ Mounted Rifles 53 45 8 (-.Artillery/ 32 : ' 31 i . . 1 , ..--Engineers ....... 8 6 .2 • Signallers ...... 3 ' 3 — ' -Infantry ........ 612 461 151 A.S.C. 14 13 1 ' 'Ambulance .... 8 8 —