31st REINFORCEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1917, Page 5

31st REINFORCEMENTS.

(From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, May 1. Complete figures from the variouß districts show that tho number of voluntary recruits secured for the 3] si Heiiv fforcements was only 017, leaving a national shortage of 170(! men. This is the biggest shortage yet recorded for a j single draft. Bay of Plenty was the solo district to-secure a full quota by voluntary enlistment. Wellington City und suburbs found SB volunteers out of a quotit of 245. Auckland found-104 out of 304 required, Ctoristchurch23 out of 173, and Dunedin ,02 out of lull. North Canterbury and ■ilia' West Coast found one recruit facji. The ballot to provide 'the men required to cover this shortage will be begun day by the Government .Statistician, find it .is announced that, tend to draw five names for each recruit needed. No fewer tlum SSSGuiinuwMvyill bo drawn from the roll of the First Division, which will ,tbop ooatttin under 40,000 names. The proportion originally was three to one. This-ilid Bot the necessary number of recruits, ah'l the proportion was increased at .the last ballot to four to one. A further increase is now considered necessary, owihg to the high proportion of rejections, exemptions, etc., and the continued failuro of the monthly mobilisations to wipe out the shortage that accumulated hist year tinder the voluntary system. The drafts in training cannot be brought to full strength without a substantial increase in the rate of recruiting, voluntary or compulsory.