MEN TRANSFERRED.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2902, 14 October 1916, Page 3

MEN TRANSFERRED.

ARTILLERY AND A.S.C. TO INFANTRY. Men already in training in camp for tlio Artillery and Army Service Corps Reinforcements have shown an excollent spirit in their response to a request made by the staff that they should transfer for general service. Practically all the men have placed themselves in tho hands of the authorities, atlhaugh somo of them had already advanced far in their training for tho branches of their choice, and the staff is_ now in a position to mako, without friction, the adjustments rendered l neoossary by recent communications from tho Officer Commanding tho New Zealand Forces at tho front.

Tho change in the distribution of reinforcements has beon brought about by tho comparatively small casualty rato in the Artillery and Army Service Corps. While the Infantry has been suffering heavy losses, the former 1 branches have not beon depleted by casualties to any great extent, and consequently their reinforcements have beon accumulating. The proportion of Artillery and Army Service Corps men in training with the New Zealand reserves in tho United Kingdom is now over large, and tho dispatch of additional reinforcements for those branches is not desirable until the accumulations have been reduced. The recruiting offices throughout New Zealand are nowaccepting men for general servico only, although recruits aro allowed to express a preference for any particular branch. It is not likely .that any more Artillery or Army Service Corps recruits will bo taken into canjj) until December at earliest, and probably there will be room then only for men who possess some special qualifications. The Defence authorities hope that many of tho men at present registered for the two over-stocked' branches will transfer to the Infantry, and so show .the 'same sporting spirit as the men in camp have displayed.

Tho men who aio being transferred will be by the instructors. Some of them will go into the Mounted Rifles, machine-gun section, and others into tlio Engineers, but the ma- . jority will be drafted into -the Infantry, the branch whore men are always required. A certain number of Artillery and Army Serrico Corps men. will bo kept in training at Featherston to meet any call that may come.