BOER AS A RECRUITER.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1916, Page 3

BOER AS A RECRUITER.

SPIRITED APPEAL FOR MEN. NEED FOR LARGER NUMBERS. A spirited recruiting address was given at Rangiora by Corporal Louis De Villiers, a returned Canterbury infantryman, who was wounded at Gallipoli. De Villiers, who is a relative of the famous Boer general, fought in tlie South African war with the Boers. He settled in Canterbury a few years ago. The corporal opened his address by asking what part the men present were taking in the great war. He told them to ask themselves how they would .explain their action in years to come if they failed to do their part. "Do not run away with the idea that you are being asked to go and get shot. All you are asked to do is to go and lend a hand to the fellows who are already there, endeavoring unsuccessfully, owing to lack of numbers, to force the enemy back. There is no denying the fact that you men have not done your share. I will not consider that I have done my share until the war is won." De Villiers then referred to the great disappointment which they had all felt owing to the evacuation of Gallipoli. "Every man there,' 'he said, "would have willingly stayed on and' held the ground on which so many of their brave comrades had lost their lives, but those in command had been forced to their decision to withdraw simply owing to the fact that there were not sufficient men to carry on the campaign successfully. The dead will not blame their comrades for leaving them on those rugged hills, but they will blame those who stayed at home and failed to support them at the critical time. The supply ships left the men unmoved, but the arrival of each transport with recruits put fresh heart into every man. It is men we want, and still more men." Referring to conscription, the speaker said that, with the fall of voluntaryism, ofie or the greatest assets of the British Army would go to the wall. '•The officers." he said, "will not longer lead the men into battle, but will follow on behind as the Germans do. Conscription is a German idea, therefore we do not want it. but we must have it if you men will not come forward."