The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1915. MORE BATTALIONS OFFERED.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 August 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1915. MORE BATTALIONS OFFERED.

New Zealand's contribution tol t'io' fighting strength or' the Allies lias, 011 a population basis, already exceeded that, of any other dominion, but that need not be taken into account so long as t there are men able and willing to swell' 1 the ranks of the Xevv Xcalanders at llie front. There has been for some time past a growing feeling that we were not doing as niurh as we should in the matter of volunteers. U is not a question of population basis, but of 1 •wrile manhood, actuated by the patrio' ic desire to sej-ve the Kinpire in its time of peril. New Zealand is particularly rich in the type of character of men that can do good service 011 the battlefield, imd the exploits of her sons have deservedly won the admiration and respect 1 ! the highest military authorities, and yet. although we know how urgi-iitly such men are needed, tliere are hundreds who could not enlist owing to the recruiting list being tilled, and many of these have gone to Australia to enrol, while others liave even gone to England for the sains purpose. At last conies the welcome announcement that our Government ha? marked the entry upon the second year of the great struggle 1)V offering to raise ajid train t'.vo additional battalions. I,o'!eth«r with tie necessary reinforce'

meats to keep these battalions up to I the required strength. This action is deserving of lilting commendation, but there is still room for an extension of our help, and tho eagerness that has been evinced by the courageous young men of the dominion to get into the lighting lino is ample evidence that the right spirit has taken possession of tlicrn. There aro doubtless a few slackers and skirkeva, for it itikes all classes to make a community, but the mass of those eligible for service eun be relied upon to don thv khaki and tight for the ling. Thero should be no limit placed on our contribution to the expeditionary forces other than that of completely exhausting the li.-t of men available. The satisfactory reports received from England relative to the manufacture of munitions justifies the lio])e tliat before long the supply will he equal to the demand. That, no doubt, has been a dominating factor hitherto in limiting the overseas forces that could not provide, their own munitions and equipment, The supreme conflict has yet to be fought, and f n view of that crisis it is only wise to prepare as large and effective armies as possible to follow up the victory which we are all confident awaits the Allies.