H.—l9e

under the direct-enlistment system in this manner is far more discouraged than a man who registers with a previous knowledge that he has to wait his turn. (a.) Impossibility of giving proper previous training to a sufficient number of officers and non-commissioned officers before the arrival of the men in Trentham Camp. (/.) The fact that Australia is apparently finding difficulty in raising a smaller proportion of men to population than is New Zealand., notwithstanding the fact that the Australian age-limits are from eighteen to forty-five, and even fifty in special cases, and that the standard of height and chest-measurement is lower, does not tend to prove that direct enlistment possesses any advantage over the registration system. It certainly does not warrant the abandonment of a system which in New Zealand has proved successful in actual practice. 15. The standard adopted for recruits for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of war was based on the experience of the Imperial Army. The medical examination, with one or two relaxations, is that laid down for Imperial recruits. For example, artificial teeth are accepted as being sound ; and men operated on for hernia are also taken. Recruits have come forward in New Zealand so well that there has been no necessity to alter the standards of height, &c, or of the medical test, in order to make up the necessary numbers for the front. There has beenj and there is still, a considerable outcry on the part of men who are excluded under the present conditions, but there would appear to be no object in relaxing the standards at present in force until difficulty is found in obtaining the necessary number of recruits under existing conditions. The highest possible efficiency of the New Zealand troops at the front is the ultimate object, and in order to attain this the pick of the men of the Dominion must be sent. If the War goes on long enough, no doubt those who are excluded under present conditions will get their chance. The standards at present in force demand that men shall be : — (a.) Between the ages of twenty and forty: (?>.) Above 5 ft. 4 in..in height: (c.) Not more than 12 stone in Weight: (d.) Medically fit. The eyesight test has particularly been called into question. The test is the same as that in force in England and Australia. The actual fact of the case is that the standard required is low. 111. Quotas. 16. Up to the Seventh Reinforcements, inclusive, drafts were always called for in equal proportion from the four military districts. As this system did not take into consideration the fact that some districts have not as many available recruits as others, and in view of the fact that Reinforcements will be appreciably increased with the Eighth Reinforcements, on account of the new units which have been raised in New Zealand, it Was decided to alter the system of equal quotas to that of proportionate quotas. It has further been decided to calculate the quotas on a basis of the available numbers registered in each district at the time of the calling-up of a Reinforcement draft. Returns are rendered on the Ist and 15th of each month by districts, and on these returns the quotas are allotted. 17. The decision to calculate the quotas to be drawn from each district for Reinforcement drafts on registered numbers has been criticized, and a system of quotas based on population statistics has been advocated. 1.8. The advantages in favour of the registration quotas are :— («.) Districts are brought into direct competition with one another in the production of recruits. In New Zealand the majority of men of service age arc eager to get to the front. If a man wants to got to the front, the best Way of getting there is to encourage other men to register, as the greater the number of registrations in the district the greater number of men go into the camp for. the following draft, and the sooner the prospects of getting away. (/;.) The encouragement of registration must be carried on with unceasing efforts in competition with other districts, whereas if there is a definite quota to be worked for, as soon as that quota is obtained efforts slack off, and the maximum numbers of recruits are not encouraged to register. (c.) It is argued that the registration quotas do not show up a district which is not doing its share. But it is always possible to see if a district is producing its proportionate number of recruits with regard to population by comparing the actual quotas allotted to districts for the Reinforcement drafts with the percentages of population. 19. In favour of the population quotas it may be argued that if there is a given quota to work for it encourages recruiting societies, &c, to produce the necessary

No previous training for officers and noncommissioned officers. No grounds for change in present system.

Standard of recruits.

System of quotas.

Quotas from registered numbers v. quotas from population statistics. Advantages of registration quotas. Competition between districts and personal interest in large numbers registered. Efforts to encourage registration to be continuous. Comparison of what each district is doing is possible. Arguments in favour of quotas based on population statistics.

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