who refused to volunteer were also numerous. classified as follows:

These were

Not prepared to volunteer for the army, but willing to serve in

a civil capacity

Previously volunteered, but rejected

Incapacitated for military service

Refused either to volunteer for the army or to serve in a civil capacity

9,042

3,963

34,386

Of those who refused to serve in any manner, fewer than 9,000 were single men or widowers without dependents. It will be seen that New Zealand possessed 200,000 men of military age, and to these must be added the 25,000 men who had already volunteered before the end of 1915. The aim of the Prime Minister, Mr. Massey, was to obtain 2,500 recruits per month during 1916, that is, 30,000 during the year, and during the earlier part of the year tremendous efforts were made by the recruiting boards to beat up the men, at first with some success.

After some months had passed, however, it was realised that the required rate of reinforcement could not be maintained without resort to compulsion. Public opinion in the Dominion was ripe for this change. A Bill establishing an "Expeditionary Force Reserve" was therefore introduced in Parliament in June. The new Reserve was to consist of two divisions, the first comprising unmarried men, men married after May 1, 1915, widowers without children, and divorced husbands without children, and the second division including all other men. The age-limits were twenty and forty-six. The two divisions of the Reserve might be enrolled by proclamation, and the number of men required would then be selected by lot. It will be seen that the division of the Reserve into an unmarried and a married category followed the British example in these matters. In the Lower House the only opposition to the Bill came from the Labour Party; five of the six Socialists voted against the measure. The Bill became law, however, in August, and in September both divisions of the new Reserve were "enrolled," but the fact of enrolment did not imply that the men were actually called up.

The first effect of the passing of the Bill was to stimulate "voluntary" recruitment, but in November the number again fell short of the requirements, and the first ballot was therefore duly held. The Act provided facilities for men to appeal against being called up (1) on grounds of special hardship; (2) because on national grounds they were required in civil employment; and (3) as religious conscientious objectors.

In the domestic politics of this Dominion no noteworthy events occurred, the people being absorbed in the war. An Act was passed prolonging the life of Parliament from December, 1917, to December, 1918, in order to avoid a general election during the war.

The finances of the Dominion were necessarily abnormal owing to the war expenditure. A War Loan was issued in August, over 10,000,000l. being subscribed.

PART II.

CHRONICLE OF EVENTS

IN 1916.

JANUARY.

1. The New Year Honours included mainly war distinctions. The Tsar of Russia was made a Field-Marshal; Lord Curzon and the Duke of Devonshire became Knights of the Garter and Lord Mersey was created a Viscount. There were six new Peers, comprising Lord Charles Beresford, Mr. D. A. Thomas, Sir A. Henderson, Sir D. T. Shaughnessey, Mr. W. W. Astor and Captain Cecil Norton; Mr. Will Crooks and Mr. G. N. Barnes became Privy Councillors. The new Baronets included Vice-Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee and Mr. W. E. Goschen. The Order of Merit was conferred on Mr. Henry James; and among the new Knights was Dr. Lazarus Fletcher, F.R.S., Director of the Natural History Museum.

A gale swept over England and Wales causing much damage.

A British force under Colonel Gorges occupied Yaunde in Cameroon.

2. The Glen Line passenger steamer Glengyle was sunk in the Mediterranean with a loss of about ten lives.

3. The price of bread was increased to 9d. for the 4 lb. loaf.

4. Announcement that the P. & O. liner Geelong had been sunk in the Mediterranean.

5. The Prime Minister introduced the Military Service Bill in the House of Commons.

6. The British submarine E 17 sank off the island of Texel; her crew of thirty-three being rescued and interned by the Dutch.

8. The average price of home-grown wheat during this week was 558. 8d. a quarter as compared with 468. 2d. in 1915, and 30s. 11d. in 1914.

9. Announcement of the complete evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula.

The total British casualties in all fields of operations now amounted to 549,467.

A

10. Announcement that H.M.S. King Edward VII. had struck a mine and sunk without loss of life.

The Post Offices of the United Kingdom opened for subscriptions to Exchequer Bonds of 5l., 201. and 501. denomination, at 5 per cent. interest.

--

Mr. J. D. Gilbert (L.) was elected member for West Newington by a majority of 1,859 over the Independent candidate.

The rate of discount on books not published net was reduced from 25 per cent. to 163 per cent.

Temporary Major-General R. H. K. Butler was gazetted as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, in succession to Temporary Major-General R. P. Whigham, C.B., D.S.O.

11. The Times announced the appointment of Mr. Herbert Samuel as Home Secretary in succession to Sir John Simon.

Sir George Reid was returned unopposed as member for St. George's, Hanover Square.

The Times announced that Professor W. H. Perkin, F.R.S., had accepted the post of head of the Research Department of British Dyes (Limited).

12. The Times announced the appointment of Mr. E. S. Montagu as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in succession to Mr. Herbert Samuel.

The second reading of the Military Service Bill passed through the House of Commons by 431 votes to 39.

Rise in coal freights. 858. per ton was paid for shipment from Newcastle to Genoa.

13. Capture of Cettigne by the Austrians.

The French submarine Foucault torpedoed and sank an Austrian scout of the Novara type in the Lower Adriatic.

The late Sir Andrew Noble, Bart., left estate of the gross value of 734,4181.

14. Lord Chelmsford, G.C.M.G., was appointed Viceroy of India in succession to Lord Hardinge, due to retire at the end of March.

15. The Norwegian town of Bergen was devastated by fire.

T. Tribich Lincoln, the alleged spy and ex-M. P. for Darlington, escaped from custody in Brooklyn.

16. A"stop-the-war demonstration " was broken up in North London. 17. The Prince of Wales addressed the Statutory Committee of the Royal Pensions Fund Corporation, constituted by the Naval and Military War Pensions Act of 1915. It was announced that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had undertaken to ask Parliament for a grant of 1,000,000l. to the funds of the Committee.

19. The Times announced the appointment of Mr. J. A. Pease as Postmaster-General in succession to Mr. Samuel.

20. The French Prime Minister travelled from London to Paris, after

attending conferences of the Allied Council of War at No. 10 Downing Street.

21. Lieut.-Commander E. C. Cookson, D.S.O., R.N., was granted the V.C. for gallantry on the Tigris.

A combine was agreed upon between the District, City and South London, London Electric, and Central London Railway Companies, and the London General Omnibus Company.

23. It was announced that the British Museum and all other public museums and galleries would shortly be closed, in the interests of economy.

23. Hostile aeroplanes early in the morning dropped nine bombs on the east coast of Kent, but did no military damage.

- Skutari was occupied by Austro-Hungarian troops.

24. A German sea-plane passed over Dover.

25. Mr. Warwick Brookes (U., Coalition) was elected member for the Mile-end division of the Tower Hamlets by a majority of 376 over Mr. Pemberton Billing, who had fought the constituency in the name of the Air Defence of London.

The Times announced that the King had approved the appointment of Mr. H. W. T. Bowyear to be a Charity Commissioner in succession to the late Mr. A. F. Leach.

27. Parliament was prorogued to February 15.

The Marquis of Granby was married to Miss Kathleen Tennant. 29. A Zeppelin flew over Paris, dropping bombs which killed and wounded over fifty persons.

30. Mr. Andrew Fisher, late Prime Minister of the Australian Commonwealth, arrived in London to take up the post of High Commissioner for Australia.

31. Zeppelin raid over the Eastern, North-Eastern, and Midland Counties, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, caused fifty-nine deaths and 101 cases of injury.

The price of the 4 lb. loaf of bread in London rose to 9 d.

FEBRUARY.

1. The British steamship Appam arrived at the American port of Norfolk, Virginia, with a German prize crew on board.

The Turkish Heir-Apparent, Prince Yussuf Izz-ed-Din, committed suicide [v. Obit.].

The use of the chimes and striking of the public clocks in London was discontinued between sunset and sunrise.

2. Discovery by a steam trawler of the Zeppelin L 19 wrecked in the North Sea.

3. Royal Proclamation fixed the date of the commencement of the Military Service Act for February 10,