DOMINION'S PART.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1915, Page 5

DOMINION'S PART.

MAORI MEETING AT MERCER.

loii'i MBX FROM THE WAIKATO. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Auckland, Last Night. As the result of :i meeting held at Mercer on Christmas Day, at which Dr. I,'omare was present, it is probable that a fighting force of one thousand Natives for service abroad will be raised by the Waikatos, which, though the strongest tribe in New Zealand, has thus far provided no men for a Maori contingent. It was stated that King Rata, who has hitherto kept conspicuously aloof from the recruiting movement, is now interesting himself in the movement to secure a good contingent of the Waikatos. OUR LOSSES. SUMMARY TO DATE.By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The following summary of the New Zealand casualties to December 27th Was issued to-night:— Officers, Men. Killed C 5 1035 Died of wounds 21 517 Died of disease f 250 Drowned 1 (t 22 Missing i x l'\ 035 Wounded 2lu .">228 Prisoners nil 24 Totals :UM 77 IS Aggregate of ail ranks, So(i2. RECRUITING. CANTERBURY AND OTACO STILL SHORT. Wellington, Last Night. Figures showing the percentages of recruits contributed by each of the four military districts for the week enuea December "25th were issued by the DeDepartment to-day. They show a slight improvement on the part of the South Island, although both Canterbury and Otago are still short of their full quotas. On the basis of the number of men of military age in the districts, the North Island contributed 71.22 of the total number of recruits, although its quota was only 60.8 per cent. The percentage of registrations for the week were as follow (figures for preceding week being shown for comparison):— o *5 -2 3 ■ ■ " P V- il u a i! > £ g Auckland 2133 25.3S 27.0 Wellington 40.89 47.78 33.8 Canterbury 10.50 15.42 23.2 Otago 12.22 11.42 10.0