22nd REINFORCEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2906, 19 October 1916, Page 6

22nd REINFORCEMENTS

THE CALL FOR MORE MEN

ADDITIONAL DRAFTS NEXT WEEK

The diortago in the Wellington Military District's draft for the Twcntyseoond Reinforcements amounts to 237 men in all branches. Thoro is also a shortage of six, men in tho Twontyliftlx Reinforcements n.c.o.'s, who went into camp with tho Twenty-second Reinforcements. The group officers have been, notified! by .Defenco Headquarters that additional men to cover the shortage rail he taken into camp on Wednesday next, and an appeal is made now -to eligible men to como forward'' and fill the vacant places. The Defenco authorities speoially invite moin en'listod for tho Twenty-third Reinforce•ments, due to mobilise next month, to transfer to the Twenty-second Reinforcements. A mam who so transfers ■will go into camp next week, threo weeks earlier than .he had originally arranged, and he will have the satisfaction of knowing that he is assisting tho Defenoe Department to cover a difficult period, bofore conscription is enforced. The shortages in the various groups in the, Wellington Military Distract are shown.in tho following list:— Group. Quota. Supplied. Shortage. 5 240 183 57 ' 6 150 97 53 7 08 86 12 8 104 72 32 18 65 , 42 23 19 86 50 36 20 150 76 74 893 COG 287

The probationary non-commissioned offitftra reguired for the Twenty-fifth Reinforcements numbered 38, but only 32 reported, leaving a deficiency of six. Probably this number will' bo supplied in camp from among suitable men who are available there. Some confusion has been caused among those interested in military matters iby tho oxtension of tho period of training for n.0.0.'s by one month. Previously the n.c.o.'s entered camp two months ahead of their men. Now; the probationary period is three months, and in order ,to make this change without disturbing training arrangement the camp authorities formed one n.0.0. draft by promotions in camp. Drafts have continued to enter camp monthly with the Reinforcement drafts, but the numbers have been advanced, • so that 'it is the TwentyFifth Reinforcement n.c.o.'s, and not the Twenty-Fourth, who are being mobilised this week. 1

Twelve of the men who were summoned to enter camp with tho TwentySecond Reinforcement draft from Group 5 on Tuesday morning did not present themselves at tho hour fixed. Three of them have accounted satisfactorily for .their absence. The remaining nine rank now as deserters, and steps are being taken to secure their apprehension. Some of these mon are stameti, and it is possible ..that they took the oath and drew their first day's pay under the impression that, the authorities would be unable to trace them later. If this is tho case they probably will find soon that the Defence Department's net is being spread very wide as far as deserters are concerned.

The draft entered camp yesterday. It is below strength, but the net shortage will not be nearly as largo ', as the Wellington district's shortage.. The. Canterbury draft, which is reported : to bo seriously, short, will react camp to-day, and the Otago dfalt will arrive to-morrow. All tho districts are ."Being asked to send additional men'to camp by Wednesday next.

Instructions wdro isßued by the Reormting Board last month that only a sufficient number of men for three monthly drafts ahead we .to bo called up~)rad attested. Under this rulo no man; could enlist for tho' TwentyFifth Reinforcements until the TwentySecond Reinforcements had entered c ? m P'. 0 esiro of the Defence authorities _ being to concentrate atten- ™ immodiate requirements, and cheCK the tendency of men to register lor somo distant date. The period has W>w DoeflTeduced to two months, and after Wednesday next recruits will be attested for tho Twenty-Third and Twenty-Fourth Reinforcements only until the Twenty-Third draft has entered camp.. Until Wednesday men ™accepted to ; cover tho shortage I\ ' te- 6nty«Seoond Reinforcements. whicErs being mobilised this week.

CERISTCHURCH QUOTA' 106 SHORT.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

. Chrlstohurch, October 18. _The Ohristchurch , ... quota of the Twenty-Second Reinforcements loft for camp to-night 106 sTiort;