MILITARY SERVICE APPEALS.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 229, 23 October 1940, Page 4

MILITARY SERVICE APPEALS.

IT would be strange if the Government were to register any surprise at the number of appeals lodged against military service by men drawn in the recent ballot. Taking the Paeroa area as an example., it has been shown that the men listed included sixty per cent farm workers, apart from those who were medically unfit. In treating the first cases, it is surprising that the official mind had not the. foresight in the midst of the busiest part of the dairying season, to segregate those engaged in the important work of production, and select for training only those employed in other and less vital avenues of industry. Had this been done and the farm workers reserved for later camps when the season was well beyond its peak, there would have been less dislocation, and the Manpower Board instead of having., to treat 700 appeals would have probably less than half that number. As it stands today the ballot included no less than 50 per cent who consider they have just grounds to appeal. The absurdity of the position is further illustrated by the fact that close on the heels of the first list, comes a further announcement to the effect that a new ballot entailing no less than 34,000 men has been considered imperative and drawn. It is right to assume from this that the estimated number of men for territorial camp was far .below strength and that in order to learn the true position it has been decided to pool all eligible men in a general ballot which will give time and opportunity for the lodgement of appeals, and at the same time ensure a steady stream of trainees to the camps. It was a pity this idea had not been put into practice in the first instance, as it would then have been possible for the farm workers if they are to .be trained, to be drafted away during the slacker part of the season. In the meantime we have it on authority that the first sitting of the Manpower Advisory Committee, is expected to take place at an early date. Seven hundred investigations for this area alone will not be dispensed within a few days —or weeks, and in the meanwhile, it would be interesting to know how it is intended to fill the gaps.