AUSTRALIAN FORCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1917, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN FORCE.

NO MEN SENT LAST MONTH. i NEED FOR FRANK SPEECH. TOTAL OF 90 i IN A WEEK. An appeal to the military authorities to uiva more information, to the public regarding the leeruiting position was made at a meeting of the Millions Club in Sydney on January 12. The meeting was attended by the State Governor, Sir Gerald Strickland and the DirectorGeneral of Recruiting; Mr. Donald Mackinnon, M.L.C. | Professor chairman of the New South. Wales Recruiting Committee, declare dllmt the people would have to be taken into the conlidenc eof those who asked their aid. He thought there was much that lie knew which tlie people might also know without the open knowledge giving the enemy any advantage. The people wante, clmore than invocations to sentiment. They wanted facts, and the reasons which brought about certain facts. He was trying to get the military people to admit the wisdom of this plan. He had tolil them that he would speak of one thing that day whether they said "Yes" or "No." ] They could only shoot him afterwards —and he did not think Lficy would do that. Ho intended to tell the people that in hhe month of Deeembci we had sent no infantry reinforcements from Australia. (A voice: "Shame!") Yes, , there was shame; but what worried him was the thought of what they would do for January and February. Those were tlie sort of facts we should fire at the people. ,ii' SIX UNITS SHORT. We were still six units short and that very morning the brigadier-general had rung 'aim up and said that 000 men were wanted urgently in the next few days. "He ordered me to get them," continued Professor Macintyre, "and I pass the order on to you. Will you see that it is carried out?" A member: Will you take a few of u.s at 50 years of age? (Applause). Profesor Maeintyre: I see no reason w!iy we should not taken men who are physically fit. but who are 50 years of age. They could go into the back lines, and let the younger men take on the strain of the front-line trendies. Tn fact, I am preparing a minute on tlie subject, and will shortly submit it to the Director-General. (Hear, hear). But, in the meantime, let every man of you join the local committees, and make life unbearable for those committees unless they move rapidly ahead. (Laughter and applause). Vv'c started oat by getting 200 men a week; last week we got 436. (Hear, hear). Each week we will mount up—if you help us. OPERATION OF NEW SCHEME. During the first week of this month the total number of enlistments in Australia was 904. Tlie contributions by the various States were as fololws: Queensland ,110; New South Wales 430; Victoria, 150; South Australia, 00; West Australia, 80; Tasmania, 23. i The number of recruits who enlisted each month in New South Wales throughout the year ended December 31, 1910, were as'' follows:—January, 8753; February, 4240; March, 1320; April. 3218; May, 4157; June, 2275; July, 2405; August, 2780; September, 3105; October, 365t1: November, 2030; December, 844; total, 41,912.