VOLUNTARYISM.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1916, Page 3

VOLUNTARYISM.

ITS LAST CHANCE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, 'March 11. Sir Joseph Ward's well-known aversion to conscription gives special significance to his statement at Invereargill that tlie new recruiting scheme represents "the last word for voluntaryism," and many eligible men who have delayed enlisting in the belief that they Were not urgently required are now reeensidering their position. Already there is a revival in recruiting here, mainly due to the very excellent work done by the local committees, and the military authorities expect no trouble with either the Wellington or the Auckland quotas. Hut Canterbury and Otago are still lagging sadly behind and provoking criticism which should not be earned by these prosperous districts. It is true the) medical rejections are more numerous in the South than they are in the Xortli, hut the authorities put this down to the fact that in Canterbury and Otago the volunteers come from the nyiks of the sedentary workers, while in Wellington and Auckland they come largely from the country, where the open air life builds up strong and healthy bodies. This is another way of saying that the farming community in the South, masters and men, are not doing their whole duty by the Empire and are allowing New Zealand to drift into the reproach of conscription. Of course, there are hundreds, even thousands of southerners doing their part magnificently; but speaking, generally the portions of the dominion which have been encouraged by a much-quoted saying of the Chief Justice to plume themselves upon their patriotism and their superior intellectual and physical qualities are failing rather sadly in the present crisis. Auckland and Wellington are establishing records which will endure beyond the period of the war, and providing comparisons which Canterbury and Otago will not he able to eontemplate with much satisfaction in the years to come.