THE CALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 177, 5 January 1915, Page 7

THE CALL.

Yi'IIAT NEW ZLAi. AND MUST DO. 01... PART IEFIXED. '.ilK MEN AMI 1:0!! SES BEQUIRF.D. Vi'< JliPtJ-on, Wednesday. Yesterday Im-Vhcc Headquarters mat'.!! tlie following official statement to the Press as to what is required of New Zealand during tile war: — Tlie present, requirement of tin) Imperial Government is tliat tlie New Zealand Expeditionary Force, shall he maintained constantly at full strength in the field. This requires a draft of 15 per cent, per month of tlie infantry of the Force, and a draft of II) per cent per month of mounted rilles, and drafts of oth< r arms in lesser proportion as laid down in the. Field Service Regulations. This means a draft at intervals of every two months of about 1800 olliei'i's and men throughout the continuance of the war. It should he particularly noted that New Zealand should keep up a steady (low of men on this scale, no matter how long the war goes (111, whether it lasts for months or for years. Third Reinforcements of all drafts will receive four months' training hefore despatch from New Zealand. The remainder of the men's training before being sent to the front will he completed under arrangements made by the. War Office.

There are now sufficient men in the iTrcntham Camp for the Third and Fourth Mounted Reinforcements. There are also sufficient men of the infantry for the Third Reinforcements, but some COO more infantry are required to complete the numbers of the Fourth Reinforcements.

MEN FROM SAMOA AND FIJI. Five hundred men will be brought, back from Samoa to be equipped and undergo training, so that they may accompany the Fourth Reinforcements. The remainder of the pamoan garrison volunteering for service at the front will accompany the Fifth Reinforcements. The Fiji contingent of HIO men will accompany the Fourth Reinforcements.

, The Artillery reinforcements for the first year of the war (reckoned from the date of the sailing of the Expeditionary Force) will be completed with tho Fourth Reinforcements, so that officers and men may be especially trained lx'forc being sent to tlie front. Instructions have now been issued bv the Defence Department to district officers to recruit (100 infantrv required to complete the Fourth Reinforcements. They will be sent into Trentham without delay. The fifth reinforcements will be called for about the, middle of February, the Sixth in April, and subsequent reinforcements every two months up to the end of the war.

In addition to the large demand for recruits at intervals of two months, a few recruits will bo called for from time to time to replace men sent down to Trentham camp as being unfit from one cause or another.

Officers are calculated at the rate of one to forty men. This is the minimum required with the drafts for training and disciplinary purposes. The object in sending such s small proportion is that promotion to fill vacancies may largely be made' from the ranks in the field. Officers and non-commissioned officers are required to come into Trcntham camp one month in advance to the remainder of the draft, so that they may undergo preliminary instruction before commencing the instruction of their men. Officers are on probation up to the time they leave Trentham Camp. Non-commissioned officers are on probation until confirmed in their appointjoining the Expeditionary Force. The principle is that non-commis-sioned officers arc to be drawn from the ranks from men who have proved themselves by their work in the field.

A NEW RECRUITING SCHEME. Tlu* first two months in training atTrcntham will be devoted to recruit training, musketry, and individual training, and the last two months will be devoted to squadron and company training. The Defence Department is now preparing circulars giivng full information to intending recruits. Post-cards for the registration of names will soon be obtainable at all Post Offices throughout the Dominion. Patriotic committees

are invited to assist in the distribution of the circulars and cards to likely recruits. The circulars and cards will be issued as soon as possible after the New Year holidays by the Government Printing Office. At the request of the Imperial Government one horse is being sent with each officer and man of the reinforcements for mounted riiles, and in addition horses have to replace wastage calculated at five per cent per month for the, whole, of the Expeditionary Force. This will mean that a batch of nearly 700 horses will be sent with every reinforcement draft every two months. The purchase of the horses is in the hands of the Government buyers at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Duneilin.

BETTER ORGANISATION. STATEMENT BY THE HON. JAMES iALLEN. The Hon. James. Allen, Minister of Defence, in conversation with a Dominion ■reporter yesterday, said: "We have made arrangements to carry on the business of recruiting on a more definitely organised plan that we have been following We propose to issue cards for signature to post offices and defence offices all over the country, and every man who wishes to register for service "will be given a card to sign. This card -will also show wlien he will be available. Before we call upon a man to commence upon Ins training, wo yiN call him up for medical examination, lie Avill not have to leave his work then, Imt will be able to go back to his business until we call him up. The advanta< r e of the arrangement to the JJCpartment is that we shall know where to find our men all over New Zealand when we want them. We intend to ask the aid of the various patriotic societies in different districts to help up in inducing men to register. "Up till the present we have had no difficult',- in getting sufficient men. We want about 500 infantry men m camp now. Tn future we propose to tram the men four months, instead of from two to three months, as has been our practice to date. Every two months a contingent will be sent awav._ so that we shall have the men coming into camp fresh every two months. "I do not think there is any likelihood of heavier demands for men being made upon New Zealand in the future. Th(! Mother Country has twice altered the rate at which reinforcements are to be sent, and I think the last arrangement will stand. We are now asked to send reinforcements at the rate of 15 per cMit. per month for infantry, <uul i-en per cent, per month for mounte«l men. We require, in order to keep «p the supply of horses for the new men ,„v and for the wastage of the horses in the field, about 700 or 800 horses everv two months. Up till the present wc have had no great difficulty in firnlI ing the horses we need."