THE CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2877, 15 September 1916, Page 6

THE CALL FOR MEN

RECRUITS NEEDED NOW

VACANCIES IN TWENTY-FIRST

REINFORCEMENTS

The mobilisation of tho Twenty-firet Reinforcements is due next week, and reports which aro reaching the Det'enco Department-indicate that a sufficient number of recruits to fill the draft has not yet been obtainecl. Some cf tho 1 groups aro able to show enough enlistments to cover thoir quotas, but experienco lias proved that a substantial deduction has to be made for men who will not appear on. the day of mobilisation. Other groups still have shortages oven on paper. The quotas for the Twenty-first Reinforcements include extra men to cover tho shortage of some 218 men-brought forward from the last draft.

Tho Defence authorities wish it to bo understood clearly that 'recruits are needed at the present time, and that eligible men are invited to come forward at once, without waiting for tho spur of compulsion. The Recruiting Board has tried to make the position plain to the local recruiting organisations in various parts of tho country, but apparently there is an impression oven now that tho proclamation of tho Expeditionary Forco Reserve, under tha Military Service Act, has diminished tho need for voluntary effort. Tho fact is that tho machinery of the conscription law is not yet ready, and in any case the board wants as many men as possible to entor camp with the honourable status of volunteers.

The Minister of Defence has indicated already that tho first conscripts will bo taken ■under Clause 35 of tho Military Scrvico Act, which provides for tho compulsory enlistment of members of . families which are not yet represented in tho Expeditionary Forces, and which havo no adequate excuse for thoir failure. Reports regarding families containing several able-bodied sons, not one of whom has volunteered for service, have reached tho Defence authorities from all parte of the country, and there is already in existence a long list of persons to whom Clause 35 may apply. Tliero is still time for the men concerncd to enlist voluntarily, without waiting for tho long arm of the conscription, law. But tho time is, short, sinco arrangements are being inado for the Military Boards to begin thoir work within the next few weeks, and tho first business probably will be the consideration of the_ cases of certain laggard families.

"I would like to see a lot'more of the Dominion's young men. enlisting beforo the conscription law begiiYs to operate," siiid a member of the Recruiting Board yesterday. "Something like 90,000 of our men. have offered their services already, and every ono of them, whether ho was accepted or not, belong to the proud army of the Now Zcalandcrs who wore willing and ready. Thero us still timo for other men, especially unmarried men, to join that army, before we begin to apply compulsion.. It will'still bo possible for men to enlist as volunteers when tho Military Scrvico Act is in full operation; we hope, indeedj that the volunteers will always bo i» a majority m overy draft. But the shadow of conscription will be there., whereas this week, and for a few more weeks, a man may enter camp as a volunteer among volunteers."

' v/ollinston Recruits. Of 72 men recorded as having ro. gistcred for servico in No. 5 Group (Wellington City and Suburbs) during tile last two days, 47 havo been declared fit and 25 havo been rojccted oil medical grounds. Only 18 of the 47. fit men are available for tho Twenty, first Reinforcements. Tbo figures are not complete, but they help to illustrate why, men arc still wanted for tho i:.ext draft, which is duo to be mobilised next week. x ~

Tilt) following men have been accepted for service with tho Infantry:— S. L, King, driver, Petone. ■ T'. F. Manning, saddler, City. W. P. Bowman, labourer, City, W. I'l. Clemens, Civil Sorvaut, City. A. T. l'arkes, clerk, Khandallali. D. Poison, clerk, City. P. Kennedy, miner, City. •T. S. Miller, Civil Servant, City. C. 0. Pratt, Civil Servant, City. G. H. Markham, seaman, City. AV. T. Bray, warehouseman, City. R. Baker, labourer, City. S. S- G. Connor, farmer, Rukarangi. J{. IT. Gray, motor driver, City. E. E. Edwards, farmer, Paraparaumu.

V. Onilvie, miner, City. Appeal By Hon. J. Allen. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Dunedin, September 14. In tho courso of an interview., the Hon. J. Allen said he wished to make a final appeal to eligible men' to do their .ditty. Mr. Allen said:—"There aro a few more days to fill'up the Twenty-first lleinforccments and the shortage of the Twentieth, and I hope all will do tlieir best to. see that tho Twenty-first come iu full. Wo shall not bo in a position to impose the ballot this month, and it may tlio end of next month before all the machinery, is in working order. Therefore,'it is important that tho Twenty-first and Twenty-second Reinforcements should go in under tho voluntary principle in full numbers. There are very satisfactory indications that the war will bo in our favour if we maintain the efforts which have been so splendidly made in tho past. Mr. Allen said tho authorities were, watching carefully any cases of sickness in the training camps, and in conjunction with .tho Mother Country and Australia wore endeavouring to ascortain tho latest developments in rogard to treatment of any Bpecial case. Valuable information from England and Australia had been obtained.