THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 7, 11 December 1915, Page 7

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

RETURNS STILL TO COME. CASE OF THE UN..*LLINC MEN. The Government Statistician and his officers are working long hours in order to complete the Natoual Register at the earliest possible moment (reports the New Zealand Times). But some dajs will elapse before the Government can bo placed in possession of detailed information regarding tiro various classifications, and in the meantime (the recruiting problem will not come before Cabinet. The figures which have been published already, showing the number of men 'who are prepared to serve and the number who are not do not tell all that the Register contains, and the returns that have still to be made are expected to clear up various doubtful points. . A great deal of public attention is being given to the 8448 single men without dependents who stated in their forms that they would render service in a civil capacity only, and tho 8890 single men without dependents who declared their unwillingness to give any service at all. A large majority of these men arc under thirty years of age. Both tho Prime Minister and the Defence Minister mentioned yesterday, in reference to these groups, that it would be uni air to jump to the conclusion that all the men who were declining military service were shirkers. Later returns would provide additional information regarding these men, and in the meantime it must be assumed that some of them, at any rate, could justify their attitude.