THE REINFORCEMENTS QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 6

THE REINFORCEMENTS QUESTION.

OJy Our Parliamentary P.eporter)

I lw . Wedmgton, July IS. I .Referring to the reinforcement oues|i:on. Sir .lames Allen said that the'last [report from General Richardson stated j there were !;,000 Xew Zealand soldiers lin iiiigbniK OOjlfNi being Jit, and :-o<J() | s:ck and wounded. The rest of "our [men were in Frar.ee, Egypt. alu | eU(t , wi-ce -I : 0 1,| the fllouse'hlst ~.„,* (hat (,4,OUt men -ivrc abroad'- said the Minister. 'We have about :'i),000 in the hghting line in France at the preset time. When I last had a report th-ro were also 3000 or -MOO men at Etap'.es' m a first reserve, ready to go into the bring hue at any moment. Our division must have that support. The Xew Zealand Division has been assisted to win the name it now holds because it has had a steady supply of reinforcements aud assurance of support is help. We owe our t men infantry reinforcements, and the rate is 15 per cent, as fixed by the War Oflice."

Dr. Thacker: "More than double the Australian rale."

The Minister added that, before "the war, the army authorities fixed the rate of reinforcement for maintenance of a unit in the field at 7 per cent, per month, but the early stages of the war had shown that percentage was too small, and the reinforcement rate 'was then increased to 121 per cent. Curing the Gallipoli campaign the reinforcement rate was increased to 20 per cent, per month, but after some experience in France we reduced the reinforcement rate for infantry to 15 per cent. I have been in communication with the War Ofiico to see whether the rate must be mainUhwd or ran be reduced. If reduction is possible it will be made, but whatever happens me must maintain the reinforcement rate fixed bv the War Office. TERRITORIAL CAMPS. I realise there is a great deal to be said on behalf of people who are agitating for the suspension of territorial tamps during the war, said Sir James Allen, but territorial camps are over for the present year, and there can be no more trouble until next February. 1 feel that if nve break the continuity of the territorial training it will be very difficult to restore it.Between 13,000 and 14,000 of the men who went into territorial camps have since joined the Expeditionary Forces. With their valuable experience and training that fact is making for the efficiency of the Xew Zealand army to-day. That is why, as Minister for Defence, I hang on as long as I can to territorial camps.