WAR CENSUS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1915, Page 6

WAR CENSUS.

SATISFACTORY RESULTS. THE PREMIER'S VIEWS. A SURPRISE COMING. (JTrom Our Own' Correspondent.) Wellington, Dee. 7. "The returns of the war census are very satisfactory," said the Minister for Defence (Hon. J. Allen) on Tuesday. "But the community should not be lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that a very large number of men have stated on their census cards their willingness to serve in the expeditionary forces. These men have still to fill in their recruiting forms and undergo the medical examination before they become actually available for service, I have no doubt we shall get the men we require, but there should be , no slackening of the efforts of those engaged in recruiting work."

The Minister added that the census returns proved, as he had anticipated, that the resources of the South Island in men of military age had been rather over-estimated, though the quotas fixed by the Defence Department in connection with the Eleventh Reinforcements had not been wide of the mark. The percentage fixed for the various military districts had been as follows, the actual percentages of available men as shown by the census being given in parentheses: Auckland, 25 per cent (27 per cent.); Wellington, 32.4 per cent. (34 per cent.); Canterbury, 24.8 per cent. (23 per cent.); Otago, 17.8 per cent. (16 per cent.).

"What will be the next step?" Mr. Massev was asked.

The Prime Minister replied that he was not ready to make a statement on that point. The full results of the war census were not yet available, and probably the completed figures would not be before Cabinet until the beginning of the following week.

"There will be a next step all 'right," added the Prime Minister. "I indicated as much to the War League deputation yesterday. I can say this: No unfair advantage will he taken of the men who have expressed their willingness to go into camp and later to the front if they are required." Referring to recruiting methods generally, Mr. Massev said that New Zealand was the first State of the Empire to secure from its men a direct statement as to whether or not they were willing to serve in the forces. The National Register taken in the United Kingdom did not include the information that New Zealand now possessed, and Lord Derby's recruiting scheme had not the assistance of such lists as New Zealand now possessed.

The Prime Minister has stated definitely that there will be a next step now that the returns of the National 'Register are reaching the hands of the Government. The inference is that the Government intends to take measures to translate into actual enlistment the good intention of the 109.000 men who have said that they are willing to serve with the forces if required. But just what direction the next step will take the Prime Minister is not yet willing to state. Your correspondent is inclined to believe, in consequence of hints that have been dropped lately, that the Government's action will take the form of personal appeals, probably by letter, to the men who have indicated their willingness to serve. These men, it will be noticed, have been divided into five groups, single men and widowers witnout dependents, single men with dependents, widowers with dependents, married men supporting a wife only and married men with wife and other dependents. The Defence Department, with the National Register as the foundation for a recruiting campaign is in a very much better position than the Imperal authorities have been under Lord Derby's scheme. Lord Derby is making the personal appeal the feature of his campaign, but the National Register taken in the United Kingdom did not include information as to the willingness or otherwise of the men to serve. /

Any appeal that the Government may make to the men will be directed first to the single men without dependents, the other groups following in the order in which they have been arranged by the Government Statistician. The responce probably would be good. But there surely will be a protest in some quarters against any scheme that leaves out of its calculation the 8000 or so single men without dependents who have stated that they are not willing to serve in any capacity at all. Mr. Massey told the War League that he thought the steps taken by the Government* in the matter of recruiting would surprise the public. He stated to-night that no Injustice would be done to' the men Who had stated their willingness to serve. Terhaps the shirkers are going to get their full share of the surprise.