THE CALL FOR MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1916, Page 8

THE CALL FOR MEN.

TARANAKI'S NEXT «UOTA, ONLY ONE MAN SHORT. RECRUITING IN SOUTH ISLAND. Only one man 13 now required to complete the Taranaki quota for the 14th Reinforcements, which leave for camp by the mail train on Monday morning "A wrong impression has beeii circulated in regard to recruiting in Taranaki," said Major J. McNaught, commander of the Taranaki district, yesterday. "A few days ago a message from the Prime Minister was published stating that the province was 2-2 men short, but this statement had been compiled from an earlier report forwarded to headquarters at Wellington. . We did want 22 men a few weeks' ago, but in the interval recruiting has been very satisfactory, and one more infantryman will complete our quota." ■ The Recruiting Board is calling upon the district committees to make a special effort to provide the required number of infantry recruits for the 14th reinforcements (writes our Wellington correspondent). "Wellington and Auckland arc a bit behind, but they will just about find the men by the-date of mobilisation," said a headquarters officer to your correspondent to-day. "Canterbury is well behind and Otago is not very much better. We are threatened with a considerable shortage of infantry, and it is up to the districts to make a special effort. The news-that io, coming from the front at the present time ought to make the men realise that they are wanted—and wanted badly." The' Hon. Dr. MeXab and the Secretary of the Recruiting Board (Mr. J. D.Gray) are going South for the purpose of assisting to improve the recruiting organisations' ia Christchurch and Canterbury generally. The detailed position in Taranaki for the 14th Reinforcements is ?.s follows: V nii - Required. Secured. Artillery ,„„-,•,-,„...„ 10 10 Engineers 7 7 Army Service Corps ..« 7 7 Signallers 1 \ Infantry „ 97 90 Mounted Rifles 26 28 ' 148 147 TARANAKI'S. APRIL QUOTA. Major McNaught reports that he has not yet received particulars of Taranaki's quota for the loth Reinforcements, which will go into camp at the beginning of April. He expects, however, that the province will be asked to supply about 140 men of all arms. With the exception -of the infantry branch, there are a good number of men available for the other units, and those who can join the infantry are asked to put their names in as soon as possible. NEW PLYMOUTH'S STRENGTH. Thp Defence officers are now at work on the Recruiting Board's scheme to arcertain the number of men.available ■ fill' service in Taranaki. Lists are being ! compiled at every town between New Plynni'its and Waverley, and the only .lifts received up to' the present are from New Plymouth. These lists show that there are about n thousand men in this part of the district of military age, but from this total Hie men who have recently enlisted have to be deducted.

THE GOVERNMENT'S SCHEME. OPPOSED BY CLIFTON COUNTY. At the Clifton County Council meeting yesterday a letter was read from the Government authorities anent the recruiting scheme. ' The chairman said lie felt the Council should do what it could to help the Government. Cr. Pnrdie protested against the Government placing its responsibilities upon the local bodies, and moved: "That this Council, while desirous of doing everything in its power to support the Government, is emphatically of the opinion that the present system of voluntary enlistment has not met, and never' will meet, the exigencies of the present crisis, ami that the time has come for the Government to introduce some form of compulsory enlistment.; and, further, that it is the duty of the Government' and the Government alone, as the supreme authority of the State, to sound tlie trumpet call of duty and demand compliance thereto and effectively enforce it," Cr. Old seconded the motion: Cr. Kennington heartily supported, and contended that the time had come when compulsion should be adopted. Seeing that the letters from the Recruiting Board were addressed to the Council and its officers, Mr. Dowsett also spoke, and expressed the hope that the Council would adopt the motion proposed by Cr. Purdie. Cr. Pigott did not think it was up to tlie individual to act as recruiting officer. In any case there were very few eligible men left in the Clifton County. The chairman said the County had been pretty well bled dry. He questioned whether there were twenty eligible single men left in the County. The resolution was carried.