Lack of men may mean compulsory service

A general view of the stands at Addington during the running of the New Zealand trotting cup. -...
A general view of the stands at Addington during the running of the New Zealand trotting cup. - Otago Witness, 18.11.1914.
Although there has been an improvement in the numbers of men offering in Otago there is still a shortage in Otago's quota of the reinforcements. The number of married men offering for service has been remarked.

The circumstance should bring the blush of shame to the cheeks of the many unattached single men who should ere this have felt in their blood the call of the Empire.

The medical examination discloses that physically the men volunteering recently have been of a superior stamp.

The appeal to the men of the dominion to come to the assistance of their country is daily growing more pressing.

''More men'' is the cry at Home, and ''more men'' is echoed in the dominion in the hint that the present percentage of reinforcements is insufficient, and will have to be increased.

Already in Britain compulsory service is hinted at.

There is authority, as well as machinery, for calling out the male population between the ages of 17 to 55 for service in the militia.

In view of the possibility of a long war and the need for a continuous supply of trained men the Government of New Zealand may yet find it necessary, if the volunteer spirit grows more sluggish, to call out for training the first line of the militia - i.e., all the unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 30, and pass legislation making the militia liable for service overseas.

• PARIS: (Official) Note-books found on Germans prove that the Allies' aviators have produced a most startling effect.

A French aviator struck a bivouac of Guards and killed eight men and eight horses, and wounded 32 men.

Another aviator wounded 60 with a projectile.

At Aubry a bomb killed 30, and a second projectile wounded 20.

A bomb which burst in the midst of a group of cavalrymen killed 30 men and 50 horses near Lille.

The cavalry, which had been pursued the whole day, was finally prevented from carrying out its object by an aviator's bomb.

The British aviators have been equally successful.

These feats are all accomplished during salvos of grape-shot and shells.

The new arm has fulfilled its promise.

It does not replace any ancient arm.

Cavalry must always reconnoitre and patrol, and artillery open the way for infantry, while engineers must prepare the ground for the latter.

Finally, the infantry itself is still the main factor in a battle, and must take positions and pursue the enemy.

• In the course of his speech at Pukekohe yesterday Mr Massey said there was a good deal of uneasiness in regard to the presence of Germans in New Zealand, and also on the subject of wireless installations.

In regard to the latter he pointed out that no private wireless plant could send out any messages without them being picked up by the Government stations.

They might receive messages, but these could not be made use of unless they were posted beyond the dominion, and this was guarded against by the strict censorship that had been established.

As to Germans in New Zealand, some of them were satisfied to live and die under the Union Jack, but a large proportion were sympathisers with their countrymen.

These people required watching, and they were being watched.

There were probably 10,000 German subjects in New Zealand, and if any of these or a member of any other nation was discovered giving information to the enemy which might be used to our detriment, he would be handed over to the Military Court.

If he were found guilty the punishment would be in accordance with the offence, and he did not need to tell them what that meant. - (Applause.) - ODT, 12,11,1914.

 


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