South in favour of compulsory service

A bird's-eye view of the Trentham Military Camp, showing the hutments recently erected for the...
A bird's-eye view of the Trentham Military Camp, showing the hutments recently erected for the accommodation of our troops. Copies available from ODT front office, lower Stuart ST, or www.otagoimages.co.nz
Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P. for Mataura, who was in Dunedin yesterday, was asked by a representative of the Daily Times what he thought of the present position of the recruiting movement.

Mr Anderson said that, in his opinion, the number of recruits offering was keeping up wonderfully.

But there was no doubt a strong growing feeling in the south in favour of compulsory service as being fairest to all those between the ages of 20 and 45 years.

It was quite impossible properly to organise the resources of the country to resist the enemy unless the Government had full power to bring the whole of the manhood, the industries, and the wealth of the community into full play.

We must maintain our primary productions in order to find the money fully to equip our forces, and that, he was afraid, would become increasingly difficult as the young manhood from the country districts went to the front.

There would be considerable opposition to compulsion, he had no doubt, more especially until it was adopted in Great Britain.

But the welfare of the dominion must be the first consideration of the New Zealand Government.

He had full confidence that the National Ministry would do the right thing in this matter, and felt certain that, when the leaders considered the time had arrived for enforcing compulsory service in New Zealand, it would be done.

In the meantime, no doubt, the Registration Act would bring in some recruits who would otherwise have remained outside.

The distribution of the national register has provided a notable increase in the numbers offering to enrol.

Taking Monday last, where previously 15 might have been expected to turn up for enrolment, the number reached 45.

This apparently satisfactory state of affairs, however, unfortunately cannot be taken at its face value.

An analysis is instructive.

Of the 45 attending for medical examination, 7 failed to reach the required standard, 14 were deterred for certain minor defects, such as faulty teeth, etc., and 24 were passed as fit.

Out of the 24 there were three who belong to other districts, where they propose to enrol.

Of the remaining 21 no fewer than 14 enrolled in those arms of the service such as artillery, etc., for which men are not at present required.

Thus there were 7 men remaining for the required infantry, but of these four indicated that they would not be available before dates ranging from January to May next.

It will be seen therefore that out of the 45 enrolments there were only three men secured to go away with the infantry leaving Dunedin on November 16.

The public may draw their own conclusions.

It has been stated that amongst the men who arrived by the Willochra there seemed very little desire to return.

Combating this suggestion, one of the returned men has stated that the majority of his colleagues will be willing to do their duty when they are fit again, but they have a feeling that they should not be required to plunge into the thick of it again until those able-bodied young men at home have had a turn ... - Sentry.

Dynamiting trout has been carried out in the Horowhenua district on an extensive scale, and at 2 o'clock on Monday morning at Manakau a big explosion drew residents to the bridge that spans a river near the creamery (says the correspondent of the New Zealand Times).

Hurrying figures were seen cycling away, and on investigation at the river a large number of trout were found dead - the result of dynamite. - ODT, 5.11.1915.

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