TAB TWENTY-FIRST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17281, 23 September 1916, Page 10

TAB TWENTY-FIRST.

MORE INFANTRY REQUIRED. Although the Christchurch quota for the Twenty-first Reinforcements was dispatched to camp practically complete there were considerable .shortages in infantry in some other areas in the Canterbury military district, and also in. various centres of the Dominion. Speaking to a 'Lyttelton_ Times” reporter .last evening, Captain Northcote, area officer, said that he had been asked to obtain as many more infantry as he could, in order to fill up these shortages, and any man already passed as fit, but who had arranged to go with a later draft, could now go to camp immediately. Men were urgently required, and those able to . make their departure for camp on Monday evening should’ report immediately to the Government Recruiting Officer. A SERIOUS SHORTAGE. WELLINGTON DISTRICT NEEDS , % ■ 303 MEN. The shortage in the Twenty-first Reinforcements is assuming substan-tia-D proportions, owing to the failure of ilarge. numbers of registered men to answer the mobilisation call, and it is apparent’ ’ tha,t the districts will require to make a big effort in order to ■prpvidel/the additional men required by ’ Tuesday ■ next, the date, fixed for send--ring ‘the’ supplementary drafts into camp. Tho* “Dominion” states that the Wellington military district has a shortage of no fewer than 303 men to make"' good.- The Auckland draft has a shortage'of ;ICO men. Tho recruiting fauthorities' are asking the district committees;to make special efforts to secure-the required number of men by. Monday, in order that the Twenty-first Reinforcements may be brought up to full strength on Tuesday. Additional infantry recruits are wanted in all the districts where shortages have been reported, unless the" men already registered will come forward at once. There _ are many hundreds of men who have registered within the last few months and have stated at the time that they .would be ready to go into camp in September. These men are wearing the King’s armlet, hut they have caused a shortage by their failure to fulfil- their original undertaking. Troubles of this kind will bo impossible Under the new. system, under which registered men will be required to take tho oath and so become subject to military discipline; but in the meantime there is an urgent call for recruits to complete the Twenty-first Reinforcements, which include the men required to coyer the shortage in the Twentieth i Reinforcements.