RECRUITING IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 172, 9 May 1916, Page 3

RECRUITING IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

Compulsion Favoured. Procedure in regard to assisting recruiting in Franklin C:unty was reported on at the meeting of the Frarklio County Council on Thursday last. The ilerk, Mr Alan P Day, stated that most ot the Councillors had marked off the r:lls tor their ridings and circulars seit OJt were commencirg to be responded to

The clerk also mentioned that he had written to the Recruiting Board pointing out that under the present arrangements recruits from franklin enlisting in Auckland were credited to Auckland and not to Hamilton Franklin's recruiting area—thus handicapping the district iu its required quota for its proper recruiting area. Mr Day added that the reply received was that ths Board had asked the Defence Headquarters to consider the matter with a view ot Auckland making up any shortage in its neighbouring districts

Messrs Dynes Fulton and R Glasgow were present at the meeting as representing the Tuakau Recruiting Committee, and they explained that their work at Tuakau was handicapped by the Government rolls including in the Tuakau lists all local residents, whether in the Tuwn Board's area or on the County boundary.—A suggestion made by the chairman, Cr Flanagan, that the difficulty would be hest got over by Messrs Fulton and Glasgow consenting to also act as members cf the County Recruiting Committee was approved of by those gentlemen and a motion appointing them as such was then passed Cr Renall condemned the acceptance by the authorities as recruit 3 of "y-iung fellow?, little more than children—pale faced boys," such aB he had seen departing. Other sturdy young men were walking about and should be forced into the ranks. The sooner, lis said, the Government had the backbone to introduce conscription the better it would be for all A discussion as to the advisability of requesting married men to enlist was raised by Cr who again expressed his determination to only ask single men while any such remained

Mr Fulton explained that at Tuakau they were so far only approaching single men. The chairman proposed: " That this Council, while quite anxious to assist the Government in every possible way ia its recruitirg scheme, 13 of ihe opinion that nothing short of some form of compulsion will meet the very serious crisis that has overtaken the British Empire at the present time, and would urge the Government to at once call upon all the eligible single men to assume military duties as a first measure of general compulsion.'' Cr Lock wood seconded, and said that whilst canvassing he found married men willing to go but they asked that single men should go first. A lot of single men, he said, shirked their responsibilities and hell 011 to fat billets. In Hunua :il out of 5H single Higibles had not enlisted Ararimu on the contrary had sent :ill hut three or four and Cleveclon had alsi done well in the same way. The rolls they were preparing would under existing circumstances not be complete as many men shitfed from one place to another and thus evaded being placed on any list Cr Renal I suggested thai jl was unfair to ceil everyone shirkers. "It ia," he added, "very easy to say Go, Go, Go, but some men

have good reasons for not e listing."

Cr. Henry supported the motion, which was unanimously carried, the Chairman remarking that in view of the meeting of Parliament such a resolution would tend to strengthen the hands of the Government in any scheme ther might introduce.