THE CALL FOR MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1916, Page 3

THE CALL FOR MEN.

CONSIDERABLE DOMINION SHORTAGE. PICUSOXAL CANVASS REQUIRED. By Wire—Government Memo. Wellington, Saturday. The Prime Minister, Mr. W. F. Mussey, has made the following statement with regard to the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Reinforcements:— « The shortages of the several military districts for the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Reinforcements as on April 20 last were:—

Total for Dominion .-... 206 4:>4 720 From the above it will be seen that the Wellington district is in a very poor position, bei;;;; responsible for more than half the shortage of the whole dominion, while the Canterbury shortage is more than double that of Auckland and Otago combined. The above figures are illuminating as showing what districts are doing their part under the Board's scheme, but'the position is more clearly revealed in the group figures for the raising of the Sixteenth Reinforcements, which are required to parade next week to go to camp. The following figures disclose the surplus or shortage in each 'group for the Sixteenth infantry, all other arms of the service being full:— AUCKLAND DISTRICT. | Group 1, (AucklancfCity)—surplus 11G. Group 2 (Paeroa)—shortage 34. Group 3 (Whangarei)—shortage 44. Group 4 (Hamilton) —shortage 57. District shortage 19. WELLINGTON DISTRICT. No. 5 (Wellington City)—shortage 70. No. 6 (Palmerston North)—shortage 45. 1 No. 7 (Napier)—B2. No. 7a (Masterton) —27 No. 8 (Hawera) —33. District shortage 263.

CANTERBURY DISTRICT. No. 9 (Christchureli City)—shortage 89. No. 10 (Timaru)—full. No. .11 (Kaiapoi)—shortage 17. No. 11a (Greymouth)—shortage 35. No. 12 (Nelson) —shortage 2, District shortage 143. OTAGO DISTRICT. No. 13 (Dunedin City)—surplus 2S. No. 14 (Invereargill)—shortage 23. No. 15 tOamaru) —shortage 18. No. 16 (Hilton) —shortage 10. District shortage 2!). Dominion shortage 464

It is significant that there is a surplus or sufficiency of recruits in those group areas, where the Board's scheme has been given a full and fair trial, or, as in the case of Auckland City, where an energetic and sustained recruiting campaign has been instituted, and that tlie shortage of men is less in each of the groups where the personal canvass has been undertaken by individual local bodies. The experience has amply demonstrated that in every district wherever the new recruiting scheme has been put into operation and full effect has been given to the personal canvass, a marked improvement in recruiting has resulted and sufficient men have been secured to provide the present and future quotas of these districts. Unfortunately this improvement at present is restricted to just those districts where the local bodies and citizens have actively and sympathetically co-operated in carrying out the Board's scheme, but as one of these local bodies has reported to the recruiting board: "There need be. no difficulty in securing in all districts the necessary number of recruits if a thorough canvass is made under the scheme."

The critical position in which the Empire stands to-day is, a surely sufficient justification for tile Board to again urge on every local body and citizen of the Dominion the necessity of doing their share-of this vital national work. AY. F. MASSEY, Chairman of Recruiting Board.

RECRUITING SCHEME. ONEHUXGA'S SUCCESS. • AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER TOWNS. (From Oar Own Correspondent.) Wellington, April 20. "The Onehunga Recruiting Committee hsa completed its work in accordance with the Government recruiting scheme," said the Minister for Defenec (Hon. J. Allen). "The, Borough Council, which constituted itself a recruiting committee, arranged for a canvass of ttie district 011 the lines laid down by tlie official scheme. The canvassers paid about 3000 visits to the district. They placed upon the roll about 140 men of military agji who had not previously been enroll/!, and they made the necessary transfers in the cases of some 200 other men. They collected and have returned to the Recruiting Board 01)1 report card-, setting forth the position and intention of eligible men. They encountered no more than 30 men who refused to iign cards, and they received no insults and no abuse. "The success of the Onehunga canvass is important and deserves the attention of other recruiting districts," added the Minister. "It shows that the recruiting scheme is practicable, and it illustrates the very great value of the personal canvass. The Onehunga roll is now complete and reliable. It contains a complete list ot the men of military age in the district, and indicates their conditions as to marriage and dependents, and also where they can be found. If it became necessary to apply a compulsory service law to Onehunga tomorrow the Defence Department could classify the available men and deal with the whole situation in a fair and systematic way. "A scheme of compulsion, to be fair, must reach everybody. Such a scheme must be based on a full and accurate roll of the men of military age, and wo cannot get a roll of this kind without the assistance of local people in each district, by the method of personal canvass. Tlie recruiting committees nave been supplied already ivith rolls based on the National Register; but those rolls are known to be incomplete and occasionally inaccurate. Some men did not return tlieir census cards, and so avoided appearing on the roll at all. Others have changed their addresses. .We require the personal canvass in each . district in order thii.f-.jve may discover

l those men, with the aid of the local knowledge that the committees can bring to hear." The Minister for Defence added that attention would require to be given to the case of the man who enlisted outside his own district. The quotas 'based upon the number men of military a»e in each of t'he districts, and obviously it was possible for a district to be placed at a serious disadvantage if its men were attraeted to the recruiting olliccr of a neighboring district. This mighty happen, and probably was happening, in the cases of country districts in the neighborhood of cities. The Recruiting Board would have to consider whether recruits should be credited to the districts to which they belonged rather than to the districts' in which tliev enlisted. But there again the necessity for the preparation of complete and thoroughly reliable rolls became apparent.

FAREWELL AT WESTOWS.

In spite of the very inclement weather that prevailed on Saturday night there was a good attendance at the farewell social tendered by residents of the Wcstown district to lialf-a-dozen young men from the We.stown and Frankleigh Park districts who have volunteered for the front. Two or throe 'hours were pleasantly' spent in cards and dancing, interspersed with a few musical items contributed by Messrs ,T. Lovell, D. .T. Hughes, and 1!. Adlam, Just prior to the supper interval the chairman (Mr. J. Lovell) called on Mr. D. J. Hughes, who, Jh a stirring and patriotic speech, stressed the national necessity for recruiting. He considered that it was the duty of the man with money to enlist. He appealed to the ladies to work to provide comforts for the young men in the trenches. Never, lie said, should they grow weary of doing something. He did not believe in so many appeals for money, because he thought that the State should have provided adequately for the men and raised the necessary money, but lie thought! that by a ilittle self-sacrilice and denial much could be done towards the comfort of the men. Wristlet watches were then presented to Corporal A. Lauder, Private E. Gordon, J. Young, ■L. Autridge, F. Burkett (Westown), and G. Bendall (Frankleigh Park). Some o: the men mentioned were unable to bo present, but the watches will -be forwarded on. IPrivate F. Burkett has already left for the front.

Mr. Autridge, a veteran, whose only son is at camp, also made a few remarks. Mrs. Cordon returned thanks or. behalf of her son. Corporal Lauder also spoke on behalf of the recipients. A bountiful supper provided by the ladies was then handed round, and dancing .proceeded till a quarter to twelve, when "Auld Lang Syne" was sung! Prior to dispersing, Mr. .J. Lovell thanked all who had assisted at the gathering, the music for which was provided by Miss Rita Sole, while Misses liavo and AA'illeox played extras. Miss Hare also accompanied the singers. Mr. 0. George was M.C., and Mr. V. C. Davies was secretary. Over a dozen men have left Westown for the front and all have been presented with wristlet watches.

lath 10th total Auckland ........ Wellington Canterbury Otago