WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1916, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RECRUITING, CONSCRIPTION AT lIAKP (From Our Owu Correstiendcut). Wellington, September 27. The. big shortage iu the Twenty-first PannforctMuouts, which appeared to occasion the military authorities little concern when it was first announced, seems to be causing them some anxiety now. The Minister of .Defence is making earnest appeals through the newspapers to men of military a«c to save the voluntary system from failure, and the recruiting office has been shifted from Buckle street, where it was far removed from the public eye, to a much better stand in the Town Hall. This latter step has involved the practical extinction of the recruiting organisation which has. been doing such excellent work under the capable guidance of Captain Barclay, and as a consequence, a good deal of feeling is being displayed by the friends of the movement. Captain Barclay, whose services have been I very cordially recognised by the Minister, speaks quite frankly about the matter. "The present stand on the part of the military authorities,'' be says, "is all bunkum. It is nil attempt on rjheir part to force in a wedge under the voluntary system in an unfair manner.'' The captain ami bis helpers naturally resent their deposition, and they are receiving a large amount of sympathy from the public, but Mr Allen, as usual, is standing loyally by his military advisers, and the new arrangement ; s not likely to be disturbed. 111 LIT All V SERVICE BOAIiDS.

The constitution of the Military Service Boards—Boards of Appeal, as they are likely to be known—lias not excited lnucih comment so far except from those disgruntled people who we impropriety of one kind or another in everything the Minister of Defence does. Critics of this type are objecting that an undue number of farmers' representatives have been appointed to the boards, and suggesting that these gentlemen will be disposed to look more favorably upon a claim for exemption from a farm laborer thaif one from a waterside worker. They admit that the workers 'have a. representative on the Gtago and Wellington boards, but they point out that the farmers, while having equal representation on these boards, have all the lay representation on the Auckland and Canterbury boards. The general opinion 'here, however, is that the Minister has done bis work very well, and that be has been fortunate in securing the services of a number of gentlemen who cannot have sought office on account of any remuneration or distinction it carries. Some of the less curious critics are making fun of Mr. Allen's confession that he had to pass over certain gentlemen who would have made estimable members of the boards on account of their not being broad-minded and free from prejudice, but on the whole the appointments where they have been considered at all are giving satisfaction.