New Zealand

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 27, 1 June 1915, Page 2

New Zealand

HOMES FOR INVALID TROOPS. Pen Tress Association. Wellington, May 31. The following additional offers of accommodation for invalids and convalescent soldiers have heen received |by the Minister of Public Health since the last lii-t was published:—Mr W. jB. Benson (Feilding), accommodation Ifoi- one; Mr Geo. Dunuet, Toorak, Melbourne, bis house, "Rocklands," in ! Auckland ; Mr Arthur J. Petherick,

ID Oriental Bay,- Wellington, accomiKi.dwtion for two; Miss Speed, Hobson Street, accommodation for two: Miss 'A. L. Ruby, Northcote Private Hospital. Palmerston North, four beds in iher private hospitals for six months 'or longer; Mrs W. Howard Booth, 'Carterton, Garrington Homestead of [twenty rooms and grounds to accommodate fifty j Mr C A. Wilkinson, M.P., Eltham, his private residence, to accommodate from twenty to thirity.

IS CONSCRIPTION NECESSARY?

RECRUITING NOW SATISFACTORY Wellington, May 31. The Government is proposing to issue certificates to men who have been unable to get away with the reinforcements owing to being medically unfit, saying that they had didy enlisted. These certificates will be issued entirely for the men's personal satisfaction.

"I have never urged that it was the duty of married men to enlist now," stated the Hon. James Allen to a reporter to-day. "1 still say it is the duty of the unmarried men to come forward and enlist, and I am pleased to say that in the main body of our troops it was mostly unmarried men who went. I imagine there are many unmarried men who should he ready to come forward and offer their services to their country, hut at the same time there are some married men who think it is their duty to offer themselves, and where their wives do not refuse consent we accept their services.

"Do you ask for the consent of their wives?"

"No," replied the Minister, "they must let us know that themselves." Recruiting, continued Mr Allen, was now satisfactory. He had heen anxious about it in the middle of the month because there were two battalions to fill, but it had now picked up, and there was no doubt now as to immediate requirements being available. After the Seventh Reinforcements were all in he would want every two months about 2GOO men, but that was nothing in comparison with what he had to ask for within the last two months. The Minister said he would again urge men wlio had given in their names to patiently remain at their work until called upon to enter camp. In this way they could best serve their country and its interests.

The Minister was questioned in regard to conscription, and whether it was even remotely in the minds of the New Zealand Defence authorities. Mr Allen replied that if it could he proved that unmarried men were shirking jtheir duty generally he was not at all certain that it would not be justifiable for Parliament to deal with the question of that kind, but he could not say that the men were shirking their duty. Tf they \\oa-q, then the public feeling, I which generally expressees itself in [legislation, would deal with a question like that. People, lie would say, were very apt, in the excitement of the times, to misjudge other men, and he knew there had been unfair judgment. It had been unfair in regard to their own defence staff, who had had to remain behind. They must keep somelone to manage affairs. He wanted the public to realise that the men who had to remain were bitterly disappointed, and were doing the very best j service of which they were capable to the country. He hoped he would be able to recognise their services as regards promotion and in other ways just as if they had been on service. 7000 MEN A TTRENTHAM. Wellington, May '.V.. With the arrival of the final drafts for the two new battalions to-lay the Trentham camp has reached its t- ax;mum strength. Slightly ovar seven thousand men, hy far the largest n'miber that has yet been organise.,! in Now Zealand for training men for immediate service in the field, are at present in camp, composed of one infantry brigade (less headquarter".), f.mr battalions, two regiments of mounted rifles, n»w artillery units, No. '2 stationary hospital, double drafts and reinforcements for other arms of the service engaged on the Gallipoli Peninjaitla, I This numerical strength will be maintained almost wholly for a period of four months, when with the departure of the new battalions it will fall to something in the neighbourhood of ;")()()(). and will continue at that level throughout the war.