A BIG SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2905, 18 October 1916, Page 6

A BIG SHORTAGE

22nd REINFORCEMENTS

MOBILISING

CITY mm BELOW STRENGTH

, Tlie mobilisation of tlio Twenty-Sec-Onnd Reinforcements began yesterday, when the recruits from tho groups in the Wellington;military district entered camp. Tho men forming the draft 'from Group 5 (Wellington City and •Suburbs) had been ordered to nssemblo at the Buckle Street barracks at 8 'a.m., and tho roll was called soon after /that hour. The quota required from •the group was 252, this number cover--'ing shortages brought forward .previous Reinforcements, but tho staff' . ;ia<J been able to call up only 202 men, •owing to lack of enlistments. In ad- ' dition there were seventeen probation- : 'ary non-commissioned officers • for the Twenty-fourth Reinforcements. When •'the roll had been called it was found ' twelve of the men summoned for the Twenty-Second Reinforcements wera absent. The others marched 'through the city to Lambton Station, ■and enframed for the camps. The •shortage for .tho group was thus 62 men. • Tho position of tho twelve men who. Hid not answer the mobilisation call in Group 5 is interesting, since it illustrates the operation of the recruiting system under the new conditions. These men, like those who entered camp yesterday, had taken the oath, and recered their first day's pay. They were soldiers on leave, and their faillire to appear yesterday morning' is a toreaoh of military discipline. A tele.'gram was sent to each of those men yesterday, instructing thom to report themselves at once, and explain their absence. Any man who has not an- .... swered this final call by this morning . 'will be sought and arrested by tho ~ police, who will hand him over to the • ■ military authorities. Complete figures regarding tho drafts ' from various parts of the Wellington district will be available to-day. It is, known that the total shortage will be substantial, but some of the groups may hWe been able to secure addi- ,... tional men at the last moment. Tho .... Auckland draft, which is far below strength, will reach camp to-day. Recruits trader the new system are permitted to express a preference for partioute branches of the servico, but .'they are all enlisted for "general service," and itho actual allocation is made by the Defence officers, who are guided by requirements and the needs of the Reinforcements at any particular ... time. The men who entered camp yesterday from Group 5 wero allocated un- • der this system, and they did not all get into the branohea of their choice. i Another new feature of the mobilisation 'was the announcement at the barracks " of the names of men who had been seleoted as probationary non-commis-sioned officers. Brigadier-Goneral Sir A. W. Robin, Commandant of the Forces, inspected tha draff; at tho barracks and briefly " addressed the men. He congratulated them upon being the first recruits to enter camp under tho new system of registration, as .fully attested soldiers, ' and wished them_ good luck,m the efforts to serve their country. The following men went into camp yesterday, Group 5 (Wellington City and Suburbs) for the Twenty-second . Reinforcements :g ■A. R. Wilberfoss, B. C. Ashwin, W. R. Kennedy, A. Foote, A. C. Hall, W. A. North, G. Skinner, A. 0. P. Tucker, J. W. Boyle, F. T. Connoll, B. Flynn, L. S. Jones, T. W. Perham, G. "W. Rosewarne, J. 0. Siddall, W. D. Thom, 0. I. Tocher, R. J Walsh, E. Webb, J. P. Revell, A. J. Austen, W. A. Ayres, T. Barratt, D. Barnngton, 0. Basan, J. H. Baucho. It. Brown, F. J. Beynon, W. C. Boyer, - J?* -Burns, A. B. Butler, J. Cameron, F. W. Capper, S. Carkeek, A. H. Cawley, J. Chance, E. 0. E. Christophersen, B. Church, S. Clark, A. G. Clarke, J. D. Coleman, L. J. Conder, A. W. Cooper, J. B. Cotton, G. R, Cowie, W. ;N. Crawford. J. Ciee, C. T. Davis, B. , ', 0. Davis, Alfred Davie, P. C. Davics, ' I- Dolierty, J. Donelan, J. A. Dowler, : ■ A. Duncan, -HI M*. Easton, H. T. .Ed- . .wards, E. B. Edwards, T. H. Edwards, , . G. Elston, G. M. Emery, J. J. Foley, i 0. Forbes, F. Foroman, A. V. Geange, ] . J. George, A. A. Graham, M. Guild, , L. S. Harris, J. E. 2 toii,-S. J. , I '■ Howard, A. F. B. Hepburn, ; He I >burn ) E - H. Hillman, , R. I. Hunter, .H N. Jacobs, R. A. P. Johns, H. Jensen, T. S. Jones, : H. A. Jones, A.Joyner, H. H. Kells, j S. L. King, W. H: Kilby, E. F. King, ' A. W. Kirkland, P. J. Kruss, R. Lawson, F. E. Leaks, J. E. L. Lees, F. N. Letford, W. Love, W. S. Lundevlst, L. Lyons; E. M. MacKinnon, H. G. Maunder, J. F. Mason, L. M'Anerin, A. F. M'Dougall, R. A. M'Gernon, R. Bl'lntyre, J. H. M'Laren, E. M'Quade, , C. Milsen, S. G. A. Morgan, E. iMoulder, R. Munro, A. E. Nesbitt, H. H. Nicholson, M. O'Connor, H. B. Parsonage, R. I<\ Parrant, R. J. Potts, A. G. grosser, G. Reid, T. Ritchie, S. M. -; Ross, H. J. Russell, J. Russell G. ~ Ryan, F. Sawkins, E. R. Sutton, W. 0. Smith, S. F. Smith, J. G. Sheelian, E. P. Sparkes, L. D. W. Stanyon, W. . Stewart, H. Sunley, R. B. Swann, N. Thompson, G. H. Tiller, ,I<\ J. Tolley, , F. W. Townsend, E. A. Tozer, A. Trot't, J. C. Tustin, T. Ward, A. Waterman, J. White, J. White W. P. Whittem, E. L. Williams, G. Williams, D. l! .Williams, H.. V. Wilton, H. 0. Winnie, J. Winstanley, S. Wolknd, C. F. •Worth, G;. .E. Wright, G. W. Bamford, H. Durose, J. A. Patching, G. E. Steveni A. .T. Parkes, D. Costin, F. Rodgers, L.' F. A. Cooper, R. S. Greeks, J. H. Corson, L. J. Bouiton, C. R. Chapman, C. E. Elton, R. L. Little, F. Marshall, J. L. M'Arloy, G. S. Pigley, F. J. Spelman, A.' E. Whitcombe. K. Callaghan, E. Cunningham, •W. A. Brown, C. W. Bowers, A. T. Backhouse, J. G. Hickey, W. B. Dyer, M. J. Firth, C. Le Fevre Honore, E. Harrison, W. It. Kennedy, C. E. Keating, J. A. Moore, F. C. V. Rudd, E. Springer, C. H. Dickinson, J. Hannah. Twenty-Fourth N.C.O.'s. The following are-the; men who went into camp as probationary N;C.O.'s for the 24th Reinforcements: —R. J. Bedingfield, H. J. Cameron, W. H. Coop, • G. E. Downing, W. T. S. Edwards, 'A. B. Fraser, R. B. Gibbons, W. J. E. Lonsdale, T Patterson, H. A. Phillips, H. G. Shakes, E. Threadgill, N. L. Willoughby, J. Wilson,; H. 31. Williamson, D. R. Wallace, W. P. Dunn. Wellington Recruits.

Tli© following additional recruits have been attested at the Town Hall Recruiting Office: — W. R. Kennedy, teacher, Somes Island.' E. J. Cunningham, clerk, City. , F. C. V. Rudd, farrier, Oity. E. Springer, slaughterman, City. C. W. Bowers, farmer, Lower Hntt. C. L. F. Honore, accountant, City. W. B. Dyer, farmer,. City. E. Callaghan, driver City. W. A. Brown, clerk, City. C. E. Keating, Harbour Board officer, City. 51. J. Firtli, railway fireman, City. A. T. Backhouse, labourer, Brooklyn. J. A. Moore, driver, City. E. Harrison, clerk, Lower Hntt. W. J. Baxter, clerk, City. J. Coyle, secretary, City. ■ R. Oakley, bootmaker, Lower- Hutt, J. Van Staveron, merchant, City. W. B. King, engineer, Potone. G. P. Roston, lithographer, City. C. Duggan, wireman, City. W. H. Tindio, dairyman, City. .

A. G. Caines, pressman, City. A. J. Ferguson, bank officer, City. P. J. Wilson, engineer, Oty. A. W. Noonan, manufact/uror, City, W. A. R-. Jonos, clerk, City. A. E. Boby, labourer, City. B. A. Meycnburg, motor engineer, City. F. Hitt, telegraphist, City. A. H. Robinson, railway firoman, City. 11. A. Wahron, farm labourer, Somes Island guard. SERIOUS CANTERBURY SHORTAGE. Br Telegraph—Press JlMociaticiH. Christchurch, October 17. Thoro is a serious shortage in the Canterbury quota of tho Twenty-second Reinforcements now being mobilised. In all 690 mon are required, and only 403 have been secured. The North Canterbury quota left for camp to-night 46 short.