In the course of his reply Mr Massey completely dissipated the idea that there was any shortage of men offering, or that any of the Government departments was placing obstacles in the way of men who desired to volunteer for active service.
The Mayor, who, as president of the committee, acted as the principal speaker, put the position very clearly before the Prime Minister, and asked a number of pertinent questions, all of which were answered in turn.
He stated that the committee had been appointed to consider the question of helping the Government in the matter of obtaining recruits to keep up the strength of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
So far the Government had not asked the citizens to do anything in regard to that matter, but the people of Dunedin had realised that something might be done in the way of assisting, and whatever they said was not done in any fault-finding spirit.
The Prime Minister said that in the first place he desired, on behalf of the Government, to thank the people of Dunedin for the offer of assistance which they had made in regard to recruiting men for the front.
There had not been the slightest difficulty up to the present in obtaining men, and so far from any trouble being experienced there was a much greater number of men offering than was required.
Preference was, of course, being given to experienced men and to the Territorials, but they realised that the time was coming when the door would have to be opened very much wider.
The next contingent would be ready to go about the middle of next month, and 3000 men would be sent away two months afterwards.
Personally he had had no doubt about the ability of the country to obtain men, and men of just as good a stamp as those who had gone already.
With regard to the requirements for the future, he was not able to express an opinion, as no one knew how many men would be wanted.
There were indications however, that the Imperial authorities would be calling upon the dominions and overseas dependencies to assist them in putting a force into the field in the next European summer or autumn that would be sufficient to bring the war to a speedy conclusion. - (Applause).
If that request were made they would then have to do everything possible to send a sufficient number of men from New Zealand to fulfil the requirements of the Mother Land and a force that would be in proportion to the numbers despatched from the other colonies.
• An extraordinarily high tide was experienced at Port Molyneux on Wednesday (reports the Balclutha Free Press).
The water went over the beach road at McGuffog's store and in other places - in fact, nothing like it has been seen by old residents since the memorable flood of 1878.
Portion of the low-lying land near the mouth of the Puerua was also inundated, but the flood-lock prevented the tide affecting the Puerua, and consequently the Otanomomo settlement did not suffer.
The only real damage done by the high tide, which some has described as being in the nature of a tidal wave, was at Nugget Bay, where important improvements to the fishermen's landing have lately been in progress. - ODT, 25.11.1914.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
