A RECRUITING APPEAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 21, 29 April 1916, Page 6

A RECRUITING APPEAL.

SHORTAGE FOR TH E SIXTEENTHS POSITION STATER BY BOARD. DOMINION SHORTAGE, 454. I'm JPrksb Association Wellington, April 20. The following appeal for recruits is made by the Hun. W. K. Mansoy .chairman of the Recruiting Hoard) : The shortage of the several Military Districts for the'loth and 16th Reinforcements as on 20th April last, were. Auckland 3 and 19. total 22; Welhh& ton U 1 and 2(13, total -107; Canterbury 77 and N 3, total 220; Otago M and 29, total 71; making a total for the Dominion of shortage of *s6 and 454 and a combined total oi -20. From the above, it will be seen that the Wellington District is in n very, poor position, being responsible for more than half the shortage oi the whole Dominion, while the Canterbury shortage is more than double that of Auckland and Otago combined. The above figures are. illuminating, as showing what districts are doing their part under the Board's scheme, but the position is more clearly revealed in the Croup figures lor the. raising of the 16th Reinforcements. which are required to parade next week to go to camp. The following figures disclose the surplus or shortage in each group for the 10th Infantry, all-,other arms of the service being full. •' ■

Auckland 'District-Group 1 (Auckland city), surplus 116; Group 2 (Paoroa), shortage 34; Group 3 fWhangaroi), Shortage 44 ; Group -I (jHamilton); shortage 57; district shortage 19. .Wellington District-No 5 (Wellington city), shortage 76; No. 6 (PaJmerston North), 45; No. 7 (Napier), 82; No. 7a (Masterton), 27; No, 8 (Hawora), 33; district shortage 263. Canterbury District—No. 9. (Christ-, church city)', shortage 89; No. 10 (Timaru), full; No. 11 (Kaiapoi), shortage 17; No. I.la iGreymouth), shortage ,3a;j'-No/:.12 (Nelson), short-, age 2; distric^ : sliortage.li;j. •; Otag<)(DistrWt c -^o^. ; i;;J3 ,- /Ihuwdi/i; city)J surplus 28; Nd';"'lT gill), I shortage 23 ; «&s* '■&>"■ (Onnuini), shortage! 18; No. lb (Milton), shortage id, district shortage 29, Dominion shbVLlg*,Us4'. >'•'■■•- ••''- 9 It is significant that there is a any-! plus pr sufficiency of recruits, iii th6sa group areas where the Hoard's scheme lias been given a full and fair trial, dr, as in--the case of Auckland eity, where an energetic and sustained recruiting campaign has been instituted, and that the shortage of men is less in each of the groups where the personal canvas has heen undertaken by individual local bodies. Experience has amply demonstrated that in every district wherever the new recruiting scheme has been put into operation, and run effect has been given to the personal canvass.... a marked improvement in reWuitiitg-'bas'- resulted, '-'aiirl sufficient iStjxi have been secured to provide tlKgiresefnt. anc'{,nas|..qi.ipj^s.Qf t these; districts'. LBrnQrynatpM'^life- 3

improjvemefttj at gprefiefit is > restricted to jtipt tbMe diiiricts'' Wltere'Hlio local podieK iind citizens have, actively and syi|patheifr'i!lly ?6-operated in carrying oiittho Board's scheme, but, as one of'those local bodies has ro ported to the Recruiting Hoard, "There need be no difficulty in securing in all districts the necessary number of recruits if a thorough canvass is made under the, scheme..!' The qritioal position in which the Empire stands to-day is .surely a sufficient justification . for the Board to again urge on every local body and eitzen of the Dominion the necessity of doing their share of this vital national trorkWVY. F. MASSEY, .Chairman.