THE RECRUITING BRANCH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 161, 2 April 1919, Page 8

THE RECRUITING BRANCH

WAR WORK COMPLETED. Two of the war branches of tho Adju-tant-General's branch passed out of exist, ence, officially, on March 31. The offices of Director of Recruiting and Director of Personal Services have been abolished. The recruiting records are being ( placed under the control of the Director of Base Records. Matters that would have been dealt with by tho Director (f Personal Services are to *lje referred direct to the Adjutant-General. These two branches did particularly important work during the war in connection .with the administration of the- Military Service Act. The Director of Recruiting (Captain D. C. W. Cossgrove, N.Z. Permanent Staff), began his work in July, 1910, when compulsory enlistment waa being inaugurated, and he built up the complete recruiting organisation. The names of tho men drawn for service in tho ballots wore handed to the Director of Recruiting, who sent out tho notices and checked tho progress of each reservist until he reached camp, or was otherwise disposed of. There, were no precedents to bo followed, and many problems had to be faced and solved in the course of the operations. The branch had to evolve a system and at the same time provide recruits. The work was .done, on the whole, in a very efficient manner. Tho Director of Personal Serview;. Major J. Osburne-Lilly, 17th (Ruahine) T -'p.?impn(-. bogtm his work in 1916. The duty of his branch was to take over the cases of reservists who had been drawn for service, but who had not responded to the usual notices from the Recruiting Branch. Those "missing" me" hod to be traced wherever possible, and the- Directoi of Personal! Services set on foot (he/iccessary inquiries and accounted eventually for a puhslantial proportion of the apparent defaulters. Major Osburno-Klly has already left the Now Zonlland Forces, and re-ontered civilian occupation. Captain Cossprrov» from the Permanent Staff, and will complete his work dtir'')/; 'he next few days. The records of tho Recniitinc; Branch are to remain for some time in their present quarters in an upper floor of a big building in Cnurtenay Place.