OUR REINFORCEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1917, Page 5

OUR REINFORCEMENTS.

■ .. . » , THE QUESTION OP TBADDQW||\ STATEMENT BY MINISTER. OS *,:<:, . ' DEFENCE. By Telegraph.—Special Correspon'aenk. k Wellington, Last Night. Some interesting information regarding the training of the New Zealand reinforcements and the working of the 'Military Service Act, is given by Sir Janes Allen, Minister of Defence, in a letter to Mr. W. H. Field, M.P. for Otaki.. The Minister states: "In reply to your letter of June 8, in which you deal with several matters affecting the New Zealand Bx« peditionary Forco reinforcements, dealing serjatim with your letter, the following are the particulars:—'

(1) As previously pointed out, in order . to fulfil our, obligations to the Imperial authorities it is necessary to send fnll drafts of men, which. - necessitate tin transfer of our men from junior drafts to, senior drafts, thereby reducing the training period in New Zealand.' Owing to the breakdown of the voluntary system of recruiting and the enormous amount of work involved in setting in, motion the machinery for the working of the Military Service Act, it has been impossible to secure a regular and adequate supply of men either by volunteers or by ballot, etc. The necessary machinery under the Military Service Act is nojw beginning to run smoothly, resulting, it is anticipated, in seenringa regular supply of the required numbers per month. Further, owing to the difficulties in arranging sea transport, it is necessary ■ that all available space on the ships offering be utilised; otherwise, the Government would be put.lo unnecessary extra expense, particularly in the case, of hired liners.

(2) The Imperial authorities ttre yet undecided in regard to the question of the training of the men who have- been recently despatched after a short period in camp in New Zealand with each draft. A comprehensive report is forwarded to the military authorities in the United .Kingdom, setting out clearly the period of training each man has performed in New Zealand, together with his qualifications. On all occasions the attention of tho military authorities in tho United. Kingdom is specially drawn to the short period of training performed by some of the men, and requesting that some arrangements be made to continue their ■ training on arrival at the base, in order to thoroughly fit them before sending them to the firing line. (3) Tho allegation that many hundreds of men have been rejected for active service immediately on arrival at base is erroneous. Admittedly there are % few who, chiefly on account of their age, ;have been considered unsuitable for serVjce on the Western front. The number of men in the latter category represents 1 per cent, of the. total draft. The medical men who constitute the medical boards in New Zealand are selected from ■ experienced ,! practitioners in the Dominion, and their opinion as to whether or not a man is fl,t for service is the best opinion available. (4J If you will kindly submit, either confidentially" or'otherwise; the names of the men whom you «tate are now In camp, arid ..who. yon cansider would never stand the strain .of trench warfare, immediate enquiry 'will be made, and, if necessary, Uiey|w|ttbe, subjected to-| thorough medical examiiiaMm. (5) A detailed, and systematic sifting of the cards of all men who have been drawn in the ballot, or who have been ■ subjected to' clatfse 35 of the Military Service Act is now ill progress, and a completed return, it is anticipated, will he available shortly, which will clearly show how all men who have been drawn in the ballot, or under section 35, have been dealt with. (6) The question of npn-registratlon of reservists is now in the hands of the Government Statistician, who is going into the matter, and it is hoped that very- shortly full information in this connection will be available.