CLOSED!

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2886, 26 September 1916, Page 6

CLOSED!

» TOWN HALL RECRUITING OFFICE A QUESTION OF CONTROL MILITARY INTERFERENCE RESENTED BY CIVILIAN WORKERS / The change in the order of recruiting has meant a change in tho order of things at tho Town Hall, where for nearly twelve months past a staff of able and courteous gentlemen, under Captain TV. de R. Barclay (a retired officer of tho British Army) have done conscientious and valuable work. During that time they have enrolled 4684 men, have kept a complete, record of each name, and an index of the same. When a Dominion' reporter visited the office at the usual hour yesterday afternoon, there was no one there to attend to recruits, though therp had been a military parado on Saturday and another was in progress at the time — admitted stimulants to recruiting. As it is usual for tho reporter to glance at the book to soe how many recruits had been put through during tho previous week, ho saw, to his surprise, the register marked off in red ink, and below was the valedictory inscription: — "Voluntary workers as organised, Octobor' 10, 1915, have" been free to continue to this date. Tin's offico now passes to other, guidance.—(Sgd.) TV. do R. Barclay." Some inquiries wero at once instituted, when it was found that the Military Service Act of last session specified that attestations had to be made before an officer of tho Defence Department, and as it was now proposed to attest men right away after being passed as medically fit (a course that Captain Barclay has urged from the beginning), it was proposed to placo a- military officer in charge of tho offico at the Town Hall. This did not, meet the views of Catitain Barclay or the gentlemen who have been associated with him throughout tho year, and the result was that they retired from the task which they have been performing. Tho now order seems to have beensomewhat inauspiciously inaugurated. Between twenty and thirty men —all likely looking young fellows—are said to have gone up to tho old recruiting offico to enlist, but were told by the ladies there that there was no one to receive or enlist them. Lieut. Mellor, who will be in charge of the new office, will, however, bo in attendance to-day. The office will be in the No. 1 committee room in the Town Hall (opposite tho Rates Office V There the men will be enrolled, medically examined, and if fit attested (on oath), and given 55., a day's pay (as representing the King's shilling). CAPTAIN BARCLAY EXPLAINS. CORRESPONDENCE' WITH DEFENCE MINISTER. "Ton months ago, almost immediately after the opening of tho Town Hall Recruiting Office, I urged upon tho Minister of Defence the necessity of swearing in recruits at the timo of registration," said Captain Barclay to a Dominion reporter yesterday. "I stated then what has been so obvious ever sinco, that the change was necessary in order to avoid the loss of recruits after registration. Tho suggestion was turned down at tho time, and it is only now, after all these months, that the Defence Department has decided to attest the men properly. I am glad tnat tho reform has been made at last, but I am. sorry that the Defence authorities have 'thought it desirable, in this connection, to render impossible the continuance of the work done by tho Citizens'. Recruiting Committee at the Town Hall." Captain Barclay proceeded to quoto from correspondence on the subject. Minister Outlines Changes, J :rho Defence Minister (tho Hon. J. | Allen) sent the following letter to Captain Barclay on September 21:— "Dear Captain Barclay,—General Robin has reported to mo that some rearrangements have been made with respect to recruiting in Wellington district. ' I think it right that I Bhould inform you of tho changes that are just about to be mado with respect to tho attestation and swearing, in of rocruits. Up till now, under the voluntary principle, it was only necessary for tho recruit in tho first instance to sign his attestation paper, but sinco the Military Service Act has been passed it has become necessary to go a stop further. Otherwise, men may enlist voluntarily to escape tho ballot, should tho compulsory clauses of the Act bo brought into operation. It has therefore been decided that all those who are registered now to go into camp, and all who aro voluntary recruits, -in the future must take 'the oath of allegiance. Tho law provides that the oath of allegiance must be taken before an officer of tho Defence Forces, and it is very desirable that the attestation papers should bo signed at the time tho oath is taken. I understand that General Robin will make some arrangement so that a military officer may be present in tho Town Hall to swear men in, and when this is being done the officer can also deal with the attestation papers. Please understand that I do not, nor does the Government, wish in any way to abandon voluntary enlistment, but the man who volunteers must becomo amenable to military law; otherwiso his voluntary enlistment may bo used as a means of escaping his responsibilities by not answering the call to como into camp when it is made. You and your committee have done splendid work for us in assisting tho voluntary movement, and I am very anxious indeed that you should continue that good work-in the futurn., Will you pleaso accept yourself and convey to your coimnilteo my very sincere thanks for and appreciation «f .jour efforts, and I hope you will continue to help in the future. —Yours truly (Sgd.), J. Allen, Minister, of Defence." Captain Barclay's Reply. Captain Barclay's reply, dated September 22, was as follows:— "Dear Mr. Allen, —In acknowledging your letter of the 21st instant, I regret that the new arrangements outlined therein render it impossible for mo and those who havo so harmoniously worked together to continue our voluntary services in the Town Hall llecruiting Office. You say, 'The law provides that tho oath of allegiance must be taken by an officer of tho Defence Forces,' ete. 2 of Clause 53 of tho Military Service Act, 1916, reads: 'Such attestation may be taken by any officer of tho Defence Forces ... or by any person authorised in that behalf .by regulation under this section, which words apparently bear a different construction. As I understand your desire is that the voluntary system should be still a success, I question the wisdom of tho proposed procedure with regard to forcing the military element into a purely civilian or citizens' phase of voluntary recruiting. (Signed) TV. M. Barolay." "The members of my staff agreed with , i my view of tho position, and we ceased

our work on Saturday," added Captain Barclay. "To show how keen the Defence Department was to get control,I may mention that a young officer arrived to takb over tho Town Hall offico from me before I had oven closed it. I had to tell him that everything there, from the furniture to the pins, except the official forms, belonged cither to tho City or tho Recruiting Committee. Tho citizens' Recruiting' Offico is now closed, and I understand tho Defence Department has opened an offico at tho Town Hall. There tho matter stands for tho present." Position in Christchurch. Yesterday Captain Barclay received tho following telegram from the chairman of the Christchurch Citizens' Defence Committee, which has done most of the recruiting work in tho southern c ity : —"Aro you authorised to attest recruits? IT not, aro you going to continue recruiting? Wire what attitude you intend taking." Captain Barclay telegraphed in reply: "Consequent on attempt of Defenco authorities to force themselves on the Citizens' Recruiting Office, and refusing authority .to attest, we closed the office on Saturday."