MORE MEN WANTED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 103, 2 May 1916, Page 2

MORE MEN WANTED.

A SERIOUS SHORTAGE. APPEAL BY MB. MASSEY. WELLINGTON, April 2D. Tlie following is issued to-day by the chairman of the Recruiting Board: — The shortage of the several military districts for the 15th and 16th Reinforcements, as on 20th April last, were: Auckland, 3 and 19, total 22; Wellington, 144 and 263, total 407; Canterbury, 77 and 143, total 220; Otago, 42 and 29, total 71; making total Dominion shortages of 266, 454, and. combined 720.

From the above it will be seen that the Wellington district is in-a very poor position, being responsible for more than half the shortage of the whole Dominion, whil e 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 group figures 5 for the raising of the Kith 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 16th infantry, all other arms of the service being 'fuM:— Auckland District —Group 1 (Auckland city), surplus 116; group 2 (Paeroa), shortage 34; group 3 (Whangarei), shortage 44; group 4 (Hamilton), shortage 57; district shortage 19. Welington District—Mo. 5 (Wellington city), shortage 76; No. 6 (Palmerston North), 45; No. 7 (Napier), 82; No. 7a CMastertonl, 27; No. 8 (Hawern), 33; district shortage, 263. Canterbury District—No. 9 (Christchurch city), shortage 98: No. 10 (Timn.ru), full; No. 11 (Kaiapoi), shortage 17; No. 11a (Greymouth), shortage 35; No. 12 (Nelson), shortage 2; district shortage, 143. Otago District —No. 13 (Dunedin city), surplus 28; No. 14 (Invercargill), 23; No. 15 (Onmaru), shortage IS; No. 16 (Milton), shortage 16; district shortage 29. Dominion shortage, 454. It is significant that there is a surplus or sufficiency of recruits in those group areas where the Board's scheme has been given a full and fair trial, or. as in the case of Auckland city, 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 canvass ■has been undertaken by individual local bodies. Experience has amply demonstrated that, iu every district wherever the new recruiting scheme has been put into operation, the full eff eat has been given to the personal canvass, a marked improvement in recruiting has resulted, and sufficient men have secured to provide the present and future quotas of these districts.

Unfortunately this inqirovemont at present is restricted to just those districts whore the local bodies and citizens have actively and sympathetically co-operated in carrying out the Board"'? scheme, but, as on 0 of these local bodies has reported to the Recruiting Board: "There need be no difficulty in securing in alt districts the necessary number, of men in which the Empire stands in need to-day,"—a surely suf'ficient justification for the Board to again urge on every local body and citizen of the Dominion the necesity of doing their share of this vital national work. W. F. MASSEY, Chairman of Recruiting Board.