NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1916, Page 7

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.

> THE-FIFTEENTHS AND THE.. SHQRTAGE, ' i (From Our Own Correspondent.), Wellington, April 3. figures available to-day suggest that the shortage in the loth Reinforcements, due to be called up within the next few days, will b e the largest yet iaced by the Defence Department. There is a possibility that the draft will go into u 'i.p at about three-fourths of its proper strength. The Prime Minister seems to take an optimistic view of the situation, and suggests that the men will he found at the eleventh hour. But the position at best is insecure, and supporters of the voluntary system have need to be anxious. SOUTH ISLAND DOING BETTER. An interesting feature of the figures relating to the 15th Reinforcements is that the southern districts have done better relatively than for some months past, while the northern districts have got into a worse position. Christchurch has a present shortage, on paper, of about 100 men, but the other southern districts geem likely to get within measurable distance of full drafts. Wellington, Palmerston North, and two of the Auckland country areas are in very bad case. The chairman of the Recruiting Board (Mr. Massey) claimed this evening that the recruiting districts wJiich have adopted the Government. scheme are doing much better than other districts which are still depending on public meetings and general appeals, without the hacking of the personal canvass. One hears reports, on the other hand, that in some districts the personal canvass is proving impracticable,, owing to the attitude of a section of the public towards the volunteer canvassers, who have not the official status that a public servant or a man in uniform could claim. TOO MANY YOUNG OFFICERS. To-day some forty applicants for admission to the non-eommissioned officers' class at Trentham were paraded at the Garrison Hall and told that many of them must get into the ranks if they wished to join the forces at all. Preference, it was explained, would be given to men who held non-commissioned rank in the Territorials, and after half-a-dozen men had consented to join as privates, a preliminary classification of the others was made in illustration of the process. This system of selection, as the authorities admit themselves, is not altogether satisfactory. The Territorial non-com. may be, and often is, a young fellow whose character is not formed, ind whose military knowledge extends very little beyond barrack drill. Behind him in the scale of preference is the old« man who has not had, military training, but who has learned in the school of life to carry responsibility, to use his head and to manage men. After the preliminary two months' training in the non-commissioned officers' class this man will have a great deal more military experience than the non-com. ever acquired in the Territorials, and after that the advantage is with liim all the time. The point is doubly important now that the Defence Department is relying so largely upon the non-commis-sioned officers for the supply of officers for reinforcements. Too many young officers are being sent away with the drafts. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. . The Minister for Internal Affairs will receive to-morrow a deputation from the friendly societies, who want Jiis assistance in settling a quarrel with the Wellington doctors. If i B the old question of price. The lodges do not want to pay as much as the doctors are demanding. The doctors are all members of tho local branch of the British Medical Association, and fcheii" trade organisation—the envy of humbler unionists—seems to be strong enough to dictate terms. It is well known that the Hon. G. W. Russell joins with those who think that the doctors have carried unionism a trifle far, but it does not appear that he can give the lodges much assistance just now. (This is referred to in a telegram that was received yesterday.)