REINFORCEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 256, 17 July 1918, Page 5

REINFORCEMENTS

QUOTA TO BE REDUCED 0 f c BUT ORDERS TO CAMP WILL STAND. 1 The question of tho future rate of tho Q calling up of men for military service j was considered by Cabinet yesterday, and last ovcnhig the Minister of Defenco S f made a statement giving, the .decisions mado. Tho effect of them is that all the men now under orders for camp will in all probability lmvo to go into camp on tho appointed dates, but that there " will be a reversion immediately to the ' rate of dispatch of reinforcements which _ was the rulo before the Government " agreed to hasten tho speed with a view to supplying more men, if possible, to ' stem tho tide of German invasion, which , threatened in tho beginning of the summer. Sir James Allen said: "Some few > months ago wo wero asked to increase our ; | reinforcements for five months. Tho _ I casualties in the New Zealand Force have , | no o been so great as were anticipated, 1 and we have seized every opportunity to j send men away as ships became availt ; able, and the sending of any excess . troops now would not help matters for • ! 10 s " m . mer ' I s . •' le men would not reach , the United Kingdom in time for this summers campaign. For this reason wo have been advised that wo may tem- • porarily suspend the increase, and re- [ | vert to the quota, that we wero sending : ; before tho offensive began, but wo hnvo , also been advised that if the casualties , aro heavy during the remaining part of tho summer it may be necessary to resumo tho increase again later. 'I don't think that this change will niean any dccreaso or delay in the calling up of tho men now under orders to proceed to camp, because if we did not •11 1 0 Ulen on due dates, wo might be face to face with a shortage in tho camps, and wo don't want that. As far as I know at present the orders to proceed to camp will stand. Only 5000 men are being drawn in the ballot that ' is now being taken, and this was in anticipation of this reduction. Tho matter is now being investigated, but as far as I know tho August and September men will go into camp as ordered." FORTHCOMING DRAFTS MANY RECRUITS IN HAND. Tho Forty-fourth Reinforcements, winch is being mobilised this week, will not be affected in any way by tho reduction of the reinforcement quota, announced yesterday by the Minister of Defence. The draft is the smallest that has entered camp for some time, and all the recruits attached to it are required ill tho training camps. Nearly 1-100 men have been posted to the Forty-fifth Reinforcements (August draft), _ and a similar number (0 tho Forty-sixth Reinforcements (September draft). The Director of Recruiting stated last night that it was not proposed to delay the mobilisation of any of these men. A certain allowance, has always to be mado for wastago from various causes, aud it is necessary to maintain , the strength of the troops" in tho camps in order that the full period of training may bo given before dispatch from this country. No additional recruits will be required for the August and September drafts. The Forty-soventh Reinforcements (October draft is not yet complete, and volunteers and balloted men are now being posted to it. It will be filled, in the ordinary course of 'ovonts, without requiring any men from the second draft of Class C reservists, drawn in yesterday's ballot. Some of Hie fit men drawn in tho latest ballot will be posted to tho November draft, but it appears that on tho reduced scale of reinforcements there will be 110 shortage of recruits at that. time. With the August and September drafts full, a large number of Class B and Class C men will be carried including. lMisucc-ssful appellants. It has fo bo remembered also that the Second Division men do not fill any reinforcement. The First Division is at present providing about -100 men por month, made up of ID-year-old volunteers, 20-vear-old youths called up coml>ulsorily, and transfers from tho CI oamp.