2350 PER MONTH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 34, 10 February 1916, Page 3

2350 PER MONTH.

NEW ZEALAND’S QUOTA

THE NEW RECRUITING- SCHEME

(From the Evening Post)

The Recruiting JB'oard, comprising Premier Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. James Allen, has begun its work under the National Register, and has issued the following appeal;

“Our engagements with the Imperial authorities necessitate the rais-. ing, training, equipment, and sending to the front every four weeks Reinforcements of 2350 men as long as the war lasts, in addition to the 34,000 troops already sent to the front and the 12,000 men now in training. While this represents a big effort on the part of a little more than a million people, the National Register shows that the number required can be maintained for a considerable time without any undue strain upon the country or its industrial life. There is no reason to think we shall be unable to enrol the men on the voluntary system, provided a determined and systematic effort is made to bring home to men of military age and fitness, and more especially to the single men with the minimum of responsibilities, the vital necessity for their active cooperation with their comrades already" at the front.”

THE SCHEME OUTLINED

DUTIES OP COMMITTEES

TO GET MEN TO REGISTER

EACH IN ITS OWN DISTRICT

The duties cf the Recruiting Committees have been laid down as follow: —

GETTING INFORMATION

Ascertain from group officers concerned what men have not been appro ached in your locality. The names of the men who have been approached, and who have given a satisfactory answer one way or another, should be so indicated on the committee’s local alphabetical roll, which, together with the recruiting report cards and Defence registration cards (Form 30), will be supplied by the Secretary to the Recruiting Board. It is important that a man should not be worried by repeated visits when once he has given a satisfactory answer.

These local district rolls will contain in alphabetical order the names, addresses, and occupations only (so far as they have been given in the National Register by the individuals themselves) of the men between the military ages of 19 and 44 in the several districts. The absence of a name from a roll should not. be regarded as evidence of non-registra-tion until this has been verified by reference to the Secretary of the Recruiting Beard.

Bring to the notice of the Recruit

ing Board the names of any men of military age in your district that do

not appear on your local roll, in order that proper enquiries may be made in each case. MEN WHO ARE HANGING BACK. Ascertain from the group officer, or by any other means available, the names of men who have apparently no good excuse for hanging back and over whom the recruiting committee might have more influence than had the committee or persons who were met with a refusal.

Ensure that the personal appeal to the possible recruit is made by the class of person likely to have the greatest influence over him. Members of committee should be restricted as far as possible to those who are ineligible for service or who held a certificate of exemption, and in no case should a canvasser be a man eligible for service unless he has already offered his services. Every effort should be made to ascertain what are the real or imaginary difficulties in the way of each man who hesitates to offer his services. For example, ensure that canvassers fully realise that many of the men to be interviewed do not understand the difference between “dependents” and “relatives.” When any doubt is found to exist in the mind of the likely recruit as to the meaning of the two terms, it should be clearly explained that a “relative” is not necessarily a “dependent,” and in all such cases every care should be taken to ascertain whether the relatives are really dependents or not. REJECTS TO BE ASKED TO REGISTER.

If a man states that he has already offered his services and has. been rejected cn account of unfitness, he should be requested to produce his certificate of acknowledgment of offer of service: If rejected on account of some minor or temporary defect,' he should be invited to register his name afresh. Particular need for enquiry exists in. the case of men rejected prior to October, 1915, when the standards were lowered. The benefits offered for treatment cf teeth shou'd be explained. The result of the interview with the possible recruit should be entered on the proper recruiting report card, which should then be placed in the envelope provided for the purpose and despatched to the group officer without delay.

REPLIES TO BE CONFIDENTIAL. The replies to the personal appeal should be treated as being strictly confidential, and should only be communicated as indicated in paragraph 12 to the group officer. Should the man express his willingness to enlist, the visiting member of the recruiting committee should immediately provide him with a Defence Department registration card (Form 30) to fill in. This card should be sent to the group officer together with the report card mentioned in paragraph 12.

When any person, on learning the

business of the interviewer, declines to listen further, the report shou'd

be filled in 'as far as possible and the rest of the space endorsed “Declined to be interviewed,” and the card should then be forwarded to the group officer. FUTURE REQUIREMENTS. The following are the reinforcements required up till December, 1916, and the approximate dates on which they will be called up: 14th and n.c.o.’s for 16th, beginning of March; 15th and n.c.o.’s for 17th, beginning of April; 16th and n.c.o.’s for 18th, beginning of May; 17th 'and n.c.c.’s for 19th, end of May; 18th and n.c.o.’s for 20th, end of June; 19th and n.c.o.’s for 21st, end of July; 20th and n.c.o.’s for 22nd, end of August; 21st and n.c.o.’s for 23rd, end of September; 22nd and n.c.o.’s for 24th, third week in October; 23rd and n.c.o.’s for 25th, third week in November; 24th and n.c.o.’s for 26th, second week in December.

Every effort should be made to secure the quota for the 14th Reinforcement first, and then for each succeeding four-weekly reinforcement thereafter, in order to ensure the regular despatch of the full complement of recruits from each district at the approximate dates fixed for the callingup of the respective reinforcements. MAKING UP SHORTAGES. The Recruiting Committee should ascertain from the group officer the reinforcement drafts for which shortages exist, and should then use every endeavour to influence recruit? to re- . gister for those drafts. If men fail to respond to the call for a particular draft, and there are not sufficient names available, endeavour to persuade men to come up earlier than they originally promised. Assist, the group officer in obtaining the attendance of recruits f:r medical examination, and assist recruits in attending.

Obtain from the group officer all information, as to the names of men called up for a draft, also the time, date, and place of assembly, and use every endeavour to ensure that the men concerned are present at the appointed time, and that a fitting farewell be arranged at the railway station of which the public have had ample notice and invitation to attend.

Notify the group officer of men whose names, being on the roll, have left the district, or who, having reels-

10-0. l ’ *’'o rH^----o^

CALLING PUBLIC MEETINGS. Members of Parliament should be

asked to co-operate with each commit

tee in their districts, and, when it is desired to hold public recruiting meetings and to have a speaker sent down! from some other centre ,every possible 'arrangement for same will be made upon application to the Secretary to the Recruiting Board, Platform speaking should be used mainly to influence public opinion in, favour of recruiting under the voluntary system as put forward by the Recruiting Board, 'and to stimulate local recruiting activity rather than as an appeal to the possible individual recruits present at any such meeting. The person canvass should always be regarded as the most effective method of securing recruits. WEARING OP ARM BADGES. Use every possible influence to get the distinctive arm badge worn by all men entitled to wear it, as it is expected that if this badge is generally worn the public will quickly recognise those men who have not offered their services. Public opinion can do more to bring X hesitating recruit to the enlistment office than much private argument; but the help of recruiting committees in making known the necessity for wearing these badges will be most valuable.