The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1915. MORE MEN WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 298, 26 May 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1915. MORE MEN WANTED.

Tlii! statement recently made liy tlie . Minister of Defence, relative to the, unsatisfactory recruiting for the infantiy in all the districts except Wellington, - will come as a surprise to most of the people of the Dominion. We had been leil to believe that tile response to the call for reinforcements was all that could be desired, and tlu: impetus given to recruiting by recent events, such as the sinking of the Jjusitanhi anil the operations at the Dardanelles, appeared highly satisfactory. Taranaki (which is included in the Wellington area) has certainly set a good example, and is still sending forward a steady supply of its young men, with the result that Wellington can pride itself on having •more than its quota, for the new battalions and the sevenths reinforcements by something like four hundred men. > We do not claim that this surplus is due to Taranaki alone, but there is no doubt that on a population basis Taranaki can claim to have done its duty in the matter of recruits, while Otago and Canterbury have fallen very much below the mark. At the same time, we cannot ignore the, urgency of ■ the call for more men, and the extent of tile need can be gauged from the fact tliat tlie Minister, while leaving the momentous decision as to service by married men in their hands, has expressed the opinion that if a married man can go the urgency is so great now that it justifies the sacrifice he should make for the defence of bis home, his wife, liis children and**tlie Empire. It is also significant that the Minister has again alluded to his intention to ask Parliament for an increased provision for widows in case of their' husband's death at the front. There should l)e no need for a special appeal t u the young men of Taranaki to enrol. Apparently, there seems to be a disinclination to join the infantry, but that should not be. Those who are willing to help in the time of need should be equally willing to serve where the call is most pressing. There are many who have Ik.th rejected as medically unfit, but there are far more who have not yet come forward. To them we say: " Your country needs you," and to that call there should bo no hanging back, for we must either conquer or submit to the yoke of the tyrant, and what that yoke, is is only too Well known. Tile Defence 'Department, however, could with advantage mend its ways. We. know of scores of instances were intending recruits have been discouraged outright by the recl-tapism of the officials. Jleu who registered have been ordered, to proceed to Trentham, and then has come an urgent wire from Wellington, intimating they are not waited yet! 11l one ease, a number of recruits ' had aclually reached the railway station, and. been .farewelled liv their - friends, only to be told, before the train ' moved, by a Defence official not to,proceed! We cannot help feeling that 1 there is a grave need for the overhauling 1 of the whole .system of l'ecruiiing, and of the Defence Oflice, and the placing in < (luirge of a wideawake business mail. The i present Defence Minister iias shown an ' utter incapacity to deftl with the sitnu- ' c tion, and the. finest help that could ho n given recruiting in Xcw Zealand would ' T

be for GVdonel Allen to proceed tn the Dardanelles with the next reinforcements. He is reputed to be a /rood officer, and good officers are sadly needed at tlie front. What we want is a capable, enthusiastic administrator of what just to-day is the most important post in the whole Dominion. If our public men, on both sides of the House, had some, of the "fine spirit and patriotism of their brethren at Home, the. affairs of the country would he managed by the best men available, without regard to party, in which case Dr. McNab, tlie real author of our New Zealand Defence system, could be asked to take charge of the Defence Department. He certainly would sweep out the understrappers at the D 'cncc headquarters, who are responsible more than anything else for tlie chaos that rules and tlie discouragement given to very desirable recruits. Tlie task seems to he too big for Mr Allen. Recruits Would offer in greater numbers if the Department would only mend its ways and tlie authorities take the public into its confidence more, and frankly tell them bow urgent is the need for more men, and still more men.