CALL TO ARMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1915, Page 6

CALL TO ARMS.

TARANAKI'S QUOTA FOR TENTH 250. NEVV PLYMOUTH DRAFT READY. THIRTEEN RECRUITS YESTERDAY. Thirteen men registered at the New Plymouth Defence Office and at Mr. A. C. Gibson's office yesterday. It has been officially stated that Taranaki's quota for the Tenth Reinforcements, which go into camp next month, is 250; and New Plymouth is asked to supply 70 of this number. New Plymouth can easily meet this demand, for there are now 152 men enrolled, and after twenty-five per cent, are deducted as medically unfit, there will be more than sufficient men available to meet next month's requirements. The position in North Taranaki up to last night is as follows: —

Next Reinforcements The Tenths Go into camp (about) ... November 15 Dominion's total 3500 Taranaki's quota ~. 250 New Plymouth's quota 70

Men already enrolled 152 Yesterday's recruits , 13 Days left to enlist 18 These figures disclose a highly satisfactory position in North Taranaki, but recruiting must continue briskly in view of the decision to send reinforcements forward every month in future. Twenty five per cent, is the percentage which the officials fix to represent the medically unfit recruits, but in some drafts it may be very much higher. For instance, yesterday Mr. Gibson told a Daily News representative that of twelve men who went before the doctor here last week Sine were rejected,, but a satisfactory feature of this was that many of the men were refused owing to defective teeth and will therefore be available at a later date. With the men who have registered at the Defence Office the percentage rejected has not been nearly so high. An officer stated yesterday that of sixteen men sent to the doctor last week only two were refused, and he said this was about the average with the men he dealt with. "Because we have got plenty of men for the Tenth Reinforcements people must not run away with the idea that everything is all right," said this officer. "Recruits are coming in fairly well now, but not so well as they were a couple of months ago, and we would like to see greater numbers coming forward. After the draft for the Tenth Reinforcements has gone and the doctor has thrown out the unfit men we will not have many on the list at New Plymouth and we want 150 to 200 to put their names in before the end of the year. There will be another call in December, and anything from 70 to 100 will be wanted from here then."

The Defence Office received advice from headquarters yesterday that twelve infantry and three mounted men are wanted from New Plymouth to go to camp on Friday morning. This is an urgent appeal, and every man who can answer it is ay ?d to report to the Defence Office at once. The recruits who enlisted yesterday are: — t AT THE DEFENCE OFFICE. Albert M. Skelly, laborer, New Plymouth. Fred. J. Millman, wharf laborer, New Plymouth. William Jamison, railway porter, New Plymouth. Gordon F. Salway, farmer, Bell Block. Aubrey W. Newton, clerk, New Plymouth. Nelson A. Hill, farmer, New Plymouth. Ernest A. Oliver, butcher,. Lepperton. Paul Willcocks, farmer, Rahotu. Albert V. Smith, cheese-maker, Puniho. John T. Brown, laborer, Warea. AT MR. GD3SON'S OFFICE. Arnold Raby, waterside worker, New Plymouth. William Legge, clerk, New Plymouth. Steven C. Foote, woodwork machinist, New Plymouth. .

TARANAKI'S HELP. LETTER FROM GROUP COMMANDER. At the meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee yesterday afternoon, the following interesting letter was received from Major J, McNaught, commander of Group 8 (Taranaki): — "1 have the honor and esteemed privilege to solicit the urgent and generous assistance of yourself and your committee in the matter of securing on or before November Bth a total of 250 medically fit men between the ages of 20 and 46 years for active service with the Tenth Reinforcements which will go into camp between November 15th and 18th. Seventy-five per cent, of this total must be infantry,, fifteen per cent, mounted rifles, ten per cent. Army Service Corps, engineers, and artillery. The following are the number required from each part of my district: —

New Plymouth 70 Stratford and districts 40 Hawera and districts 40 Taumarunui 30 Eltham and district 20 Inglewood ..?... 20 Patea and district 20 Waverley 15 Opunake . 15 Norinanby • ; 10 Manaia and Okaiawa 20 Ohakune 20 Raetihi 20 Total 340 Less 25 per cent, unfit 85 Total available 255 "You will notice that your town and district is asked to supply 70 men, which after allowing for twenty-five per cent, rejections as unfit means that you have 53 available as fit for November 15th. May I be allowed to suggest that during the next two woek3 your committee wait upon all employers of labor in your town in order to secure every available single man in their employ who can be spared to serve their country. Your band may be specially requested to give selections of a patriotic nature in the open, and in a hall or building, and in the larger towns your committee may undertake to employ 'sandwich men' parading the main streets. Every possible idea should be brought into use to secure the desired end. "A strenuous and sustained effort is required in every town and hamlet throughout New Zealand during the coming fortnight. I shall bo deeply grateful to your generous assistance and in this coitheStvew I desire to thank

sincerely yourself and your co-workers for the magnificent services you and they have already rendered in the interests of recruiting matters in my district. All men as soon as they enlist should be medically examined by the nearest medical officer. In the large towns your committee may probably arrange for medical officers in turn to be in attendance between 1 and 2 p.m. or 7 and 8 p.m. daily at the Defence Office in your town. The senior Defence Department officer in your town should post to headquarters, Hawera, every morning the total enlisted and passed medic»lly fit, stating the branch of the service, i.e., infantry or mounted rifles. It is these branches that are .most urgently required for November loth." Mr. W. A. Collis stated an offer had been received from Mr. D. McLaren to come to address a recruiting meeting. In a brief discussion it was pointed out that New Plymouth could meet its present requirements, and it was, therefore, not thought advisable to have a recruiting rally now, especially since it was certain something in this direction would have to be done in the future. Jt was decided to thank Mr. McLaren for his offer and to point out that New Plymouth was not going to give any impetus to recruiting at present, ft was further decided that in reply to Major McNaught it should be pointed out that the committee was fully aiive to the necessity of maintaining our rate of recruits, but at the present time there were sufficient enlistments to meet present requirements.

MEN WITH BAD TEETH. A PLEA FOR ASSISTANCE. The fact that many recruits at New Plymouth had been rejected owing to defective teeth was mentioned by Mr. J. E. Wilson at the meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic. Committee yesterday. Mr. Wilson mentioned that nine out of, twelve recruits had been rejected owing to having bad teeth and he said we could not afford to lose those men on that account, especially when they could be made all right with some dental attention. Many of these men could not afford to pay for dental treatment, and he moved that the committee should give assistance to such men out of the Patriotic Fund. It might cost £IOO to £2OO, but the expenditure would be thoroughly justified. Mr. T. C. List thought that dentists here might assist the common cause as dentists in other centres had done. Mr. Wilson said that some local dentists had already done much work gratuitously. In the case of nine men there might be several who would require work costing, say £5 each one, and this would be asking too much. This was a matter which had to be dealt with at once, and it was no use going to the Government, as they would not give assistance. He felt quite sure that the New ■ Plymouth dental practitioners would make their charges as reasonable as they could. Mr. H. Goodacre agreed with Mr. List, and said he would like to see a committee appointed to meet the local branch of the Dental Association and talk the matter over. He thought dentists should do their share in the struggle. Mr. Wilson: They are doing it. Mr,. List' Said that the suggestion made by Mr. Goodacre was one which he had in his mind. If the committee had to pay the customary fees of dentists for this work the committee's funds would be very much depleted and in that case it would be much better for the committee to appoint a dentist of their own and have him at the hospital, .wnere ne would be available to attend to recruits. If the local dentists were doing a good deal of work free of charge, it was very good of them. Mr. F. C. J. Bellringer referred to the treatment given at the hospital free to enable men to fit themselves to go to the front and this had enabled many to go who wolild not have been able to do so without the free treatment. The Hospitaf Board would be pleased to arrange for free anaesthetics to be given in dental cases. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs. Wilson, Collis, List, Bellringer, Goodacre, and Chaney was appointed to meet the Dental Association and discuss the matter.