MILITARY SERVICE BALLOT.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 221, 4 October 1940, Page 4

MILITARY SERVICE BALLOT.

GAZETTE notice to the effect that 1350 men from the No. 2 Military District (Paeroa) are drawn in the first Military Service Ballot created widespread interest in Whakatane. in the immediate district of which 136 men have been listed for training. The position is that these men are re quired for a three months period of training in the various military camps throughout the country at the conclusion of which they will be posted to the Reserve which is liable at any time to be drawn on by the Government for fighting men in or beyond, the Dominion. The first ballot contains the names of 16,000 men over the whole Dominion out of the approximate 90,000 who are considered eligible either as single men or men who have married since the declaration of war. It represents men from every walk in life and includes many who are entirely unfit to stand military camp life. It was probably with this point in view that the authorities decided to make an obvious surplus of 10,000 for from the number included in the ballot only 6,000 axe required for training. The exceptions will doubtless be the physically unfit and those engaged in primary industries which are vital to the Dominion's war effort. Analysing the local position it is interesting to note that no less than 70 per cent, of the men are. either farm-hands, sharemilkers or actual farmers themselves. These men will be required to appeal to the special Board which, will sit in the near future in all military districts and forms for this purpose are obtainable at the Post Office. In three instances brothers who are engaged in jointly farming their property are included- Enforcing the ballot in this respect would simply mean paralysing their dairying interests and starting a chaotic state of affairs which would reflect very detrimentally upon the district returns. Ten days are permitted for the lodging of an appeal but in view of the Hon. Semple's statement that the men were expected to be in camp early this month, it would be a wise precaution for those who intend appealing, to do so at the earliest moment. It is noted that the ballot is no respector of persons for the lists include ministers of religion, policemen, doctors, and politicians, to all of whom the same rules of exemption apply. Though in this district a large percentage of those called up will be delegated back to industry it is considered that the full camp quota will be achieved by men drawn mainly from the towns. If however the full complement still remains to be found owing perhaps to an abnormally large number of rejects and men in protected industries there is every likelihood of a further ballot being taken before the expiry of the alloted three months according to schedule.