THE SECOND DIVISION.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1917, Page 2

THE SECOND DIVISION.

•THE. CLASSIFICATION. (From Our Own Correspondent). ■ ■ Wellington, May 8. The classification of the Second Division; as announced by the Minister fot Defence, is being subjected to a great deal of adverse criticism, the chief points raided being the failure to discriminate between the man with two children and the man with one childi and the separation of the man wider 35 years'from, tuo man over 35 years. The Government is being asked why a married man.aged] 34 years, with two children to supp rt, should be called to camp earlier tha . a Ima'n aged 30 years with'one child. : The proposed classification, which i iay, be amended' before the mobilisatioi of the Second Division begips, was ado] ted by the Government after a great i eat ■of. consideration, and appsars to represent iho considered opinion of'the military t&R whose , prfnio consideration: flaturally is the securing, of the ,be*li. available recruits. " Experience in the /samps and at the front has shown clearly that the average .man of under 3."> i years is a bettor and ino'« useful recruit than the average man of over thnt age.' Some of the responsible officers miglit set the limit lower; few of them would' place it higher, . The young man responds to training better than the older.man; 1 he usually learns the military craft more, quickly and he adapts himself more: quickly to the conditions-of-camp-life. >Tliere are lots of exceptions, to_ these: rules, but (he army likes best the young' recruits. Whether' or not this consideration is sufficient Justification.. ot •■ the classification is another question. .... ;