RECRUITING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 281, 16 August 1918, Page 6

RECRUITING

A STRONG POSITION DRAFTS OVER STRENGTH Tho Defence authorities are in a very strong position at present with respect to recruits. The situation is made tho mora satisfactory by tho fact that tho New Zealand Division's casualties recently havo not been very heavy, so that there has been no depletion of tho reserves in France and England.

Threo reinforcement drafts are at present in camp, nnd a fourth draft, tho Forty-fifth, is being mobilised this week. The Forty-fifth draft is going into camp about 1400 strong, and is in excess of a month's requirements on the reduced reinforcement quota even after full allowance has been made for wastage in train ing. The number docs not include Urn normal monthly transfer from tho CI Camp.

Tho number of men at present posloa to tho September draft (Forty-sixth Reinforcement) is 1838. This draft, therefore, is substantially over strength. Then 1148 men havo been posted to the October draft and 835 to the November draft. Tho posting of balloted men to tho November draft has ceased, but volunteers are still being accepted for this reiriforcc ment.

The large size of the September draft is due to extensions of leave by military service bonrds in the past and other factors, which have caused some hundreds of men to become available in September instead, of earlier. A reservist who was granted leavo until September by a board some months ago, or who was 6et back to September on account of sickness, gets posted to the draft oven if the direct flow of balloted men end volunteers is enough to fill it.

The Dumber of CI men at present awaiting mobilisation is IMS, this number covering tho drafts up to November. It may be estimated, that about 00 per cent, of theso men will eventually, find their way into the A camps: The CI eamp contains its full quota of men already under training.

The total number of reservists posted to drafts, including this month's reinforcement and the CI men, is close upon 7000. Theso reservists ought to represent a net 6000 after making allowance for wastage. \

Among the assets of the Defence Department. in the matter of recruits have to be reckoned also a portion of the 5000 Class C men drawn last month and the 5000 Class C men drawn this week. Some of last month's balloted men ht.vo not yet been examined and posted, and all of this month's balloted men have still to bo dealt with. It has to be remembered, also, that tho military service boards .havo in hand many hundreds of appeals, and havo given many hundreds o. f reservists periods of leavo that do not expire until after Jiovem-. ber, the last month dealt with in the figures. It is understood that the position indicated by these figures is at present under official consideration. The Minister of Defence has stated already that tho December drfrft will be dropped, and it has been indicated that the January draft may be dropped,