THE REINFORCEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 289, 26 August 1918, Page 4

THE REINFORCEMENTS

NEXT TWO DRAFTS TO ASSEMBLE ON DUE DATES. The Defence authorities and tho Minister have been talcing very careful stock of tho ni;w-po\ter problem during tlio past week or two, with special reference to immediate and future action in the calling up and dispatch of reinforcements. Thero aro more Dian sufficient men now under orders to i;o into camp to fill all drafts that can be required before, the end of the .year. Indeed, soino hundreds of men l'svo already been posted to the January draft, n draft which the authorities hope they may bo able to drop. As things bavo happenod at tho front, there never has been need for tho extra reinforcements asked for at the beginning of the fighting season. The New Zealand Division has had the f;ood fortune, until tho recent advance over the Sommo country, to bo in quiot sectors during all tho worst of tlio fighting, and their casualties have, been liflht. Tho division's reserves have therefore not been so heavily drawn upon as it was feared they might be. Some of the extra reinforcements are

among tlio men to bo taken into camp in tho next two months. Those men will liave to go into camp as arranged, but thero may be reductions or postponements Inter. Everything depends on the luck of the division in the next four weeks and on tlio amount of shipping that will ba available for tho enrri«!s'o of troops before the end of the

yi-ar and in the early months of next year. It has already been stated that ylw shipping prospects show signs of improvement, but it is not known vet whether there will bo as many ships suitable, for tho carriago of troops as may be required for the dispatch of reinforcements to time-table. In tho uncertainty the authorities deem it to be their duty to have a supply of reinlorccments in training in readiness for the fighting season next European summer. Men going into camp in February and later months cannot reach the fighting front until after August, 1919, and it i 3 hoped that tbero may be no fighting to do after that.