NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1916, Page 4

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

SOLDIERS' CORRESPONDENCE. (From Our Own Comsperident). Wellington, February 3. "Many complaints lmve been juadfl regarding the return to New fctalani of correspondence despatched to soldiers at the front," said the 'Minister of Defence (Hon. J. Allen). "Letters have been sent back to the Dominion marked 'Hissing,' 'Whereabouts unknown,' etc., though the men for whom the fetter# were intended were in hospital.. in Egypt or elsewhere. I have been is communication with Lieutenant-Celtae' Rhodes on this subject, and T haye* received from him the following table, gram in reply to a recent Message:—'l And that every precaution haibeen adopted by the New Zealand pogtkl service to prevent the irrejular return of correspondence. They accept only the official lists of casualties. On xecelpt of lists re-direction cards are intend, aad all correspondence addressed to dead, and missing men is separately dealt with by a, special re-direction; section. A double check has been institute*! by tie New Zealand postal service; but othtr administrations are occasionally i*v»lved, and according to evidence thqy are not infallible.' Lieutenant,- £olpnel Rhodes added that he is givfng fiia -personal attention to the MAtttr. I ba,v o cabled to him asking him- to enquire whether the records branch Is giving the postal officers all the information that ie obtainable, so that the trouble itty; be reduced te an absolute minifcqu.* '

RECRUITING BOAltfc. • The Prime Minister, who is aiso chairman of the Recruiting lioard, statjid this evening that the Board's printing would be completed within the next t fortnight. This printing compi. i three I sections—the circular letters ti. !«wl authorities inviting them to organise recruiting committees, the instructions Usued by the Board for the use of the recruiting agents, and the alphabetical list* allowing the men of military age in each of the districts. Mr. Mnssey mentioned that the first lot of circulars, instructions and lists would be hosted at the end of the present week, and lit assumed that the local authorities woiild get to work quickly. The Recniiting Board wished to take the respqnsibllliy for raising the March draft'of retruits. SOUTH ISLAND NOT DOING ITS DUTY. ... . When the Defence 'Minister was'down in the South the other day, he stated that Canterbury and Otago,"ought; to he furnishing their full share of mru'lta instead of leaving the northern military districts to fill the gaps. Your correspondent learned at Defence Headquarters to-day that the "North Island districts nave found their full quota of recruits for the draft that is to he railed up this month (the Thirteenth Reinforcements), bnt the southern districts, although they have done rather -belter than usual, have net yet placed upon their book* all the liwn required hx their quota. The quotas are baScd upon the proportions of men of Military age in each of the districts, as rovoa'.eil by the National Register. The weekly return of recruiting percentages -ssued by the Defence Department this v.cok tell the usual tale. The South Island is not providing its proper share of.recruits, on the basis of the num!>. , :• , iif men of military - Whn t is the matter with the *>outM ences to local camps do to answer that question, aim a <r in the North Island further awaj-ftow -''c camps, in point of time, than lhvciVurgill is, are providing their share and more than their share.

A HITCH. BOARD OF TRADE YET USBORy. Two prolonged meetings of Cabinet have been held this week. On® of the matters considered has been the appointment of the salaried members of the Board of Trade, without which the Coat of Living Aet remains, for all purposes, ftojicfativc. Jut the Prime Minister stated .thiscjriung, in answer to a qiiesfhS'ii 6h tn», sfcßjjkct, that the Board of 'Utade lytd. not yei come into existence. He indicated tjiat the appointments were likely i'o f>e:thado during the week. . The,delay tlrnfc Jias taken place is perpjiahig. The Liberal section of the Cabinet; regarding jtlie attempt te deal with the cost of living problem as part of t!'e compact thai brought about th* Xatioaal Government, wants to gee the Board appointed a« quickly as possible, and your correspondent has gathered slmt in the vpteyn of men qualified to the applicants for agpointinent, spme ?C0 jn number, included some suitable wen. • But there has been a hitch somewhere.