THE CALL FOR MEN.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15750, 17 November 1916, Page 7

THE CALL FOR MEN.

. 4 taking the first BALLOT. yHE PROCEDURE DESCRIB^T). (srECIAI. TO ''the I'RESS.") WELLINGTON*. November 16. The first ballot taken under the Jfilitary Service Aft was in progress during this morning and this afternoon in tilf ' "W' l ' - : " ro . v <>* a Wellington building. -Spar.v *.va- limited, and only a l" rU ' ncw.-papcr men and other privileged people bad the opportunity t 0 watch the pror-eedings, but the camera and the kincmatograph recorded the main incident.- of the ballot, and the people of Nciv Zealand generally will have the chance later to see for themselves how the selection of reservists for active service was made. The outstanding imprc-sion left upon tj, e minds of the .spectator.- was that, the system was absolutely fair. Every ono of the 80.000 or so men enrolled in the first, division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve had hi- chance of liein" drawn. No favouritism or fraud could have been introduced at any stage °f proceedings without the connivance of the presiding Magistrate (Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M.) ? the Government Statistician, several Departmental officers, and some fifty alert young """omen who were the means of transmitting the decision of the ballot box to the. drawers in which tne reservists' cards were arranger!.

The method of balloting "litis liven doscribed already. Tho precautions I taken at every stage won- elaborate. The Government, Statistician, in explaining the system to tho visitors, oin,ph&sised the fact tiiat there was a double check on every operation. Tf a card had been lost or destroyed after being withdrawn from one of the boxes ■in consequence of the ballot, the absence of the card would be detected, and it would be possible lor tho officers to discover what man the card had represented.

The Magistrate personally saw that every marble went into the barrel. He supervised the drawing, and made sure that tho right number was announced to the girls. Then the girls turned up the corresponding card in each box, so as to expose the district number, but not tho name. Tho Magistrate took the card from tho bos if it came from a district that needs recruits, and handed it to the Government Statistician, while other officers made a number of tho transaction. The girls did not seo the names at all. The Magistrate did not seo the names until he had removed the cards from tho boxes.. The Statistician had simply to receive the cards handed to him. Tho leholo operation was conducted under tho eyes of everybody present in the room*

Sixteen draws were taken during the ■day, yielding about half the number of •ncn required. The proceeding's will bo continued to-morrow, anil in the meantime the room is being guarded by the police, while the Magistrate liolds the key of the barrel in whioli the marbles aro contained. The drawing will be completed to-morrow; but probably it will be Monday or Tuesday before the Magistrate is ready to- hand to tho Recrnitinpr Board his certified list of tlio men selected for service. Then tho names will bo gazetted, and each of tho recruits mil receive a telegram, followed by a registered, letter informing him that, hi a countrr needs him. The Minister of Dcfence states that tbe names will not bo published until they are gazetted. QUESTION OF UNFIT BADGES. No further instructions had boon received in Christchureh yesterday regarding the taking of any steps in reference to the ealling-upof room its for the Expeditionary Force tinder the Military Service Act, but as the result of tho ballot taken in Wellington yesterday it is interpreted that the lopal machinery will be under way in a few days' time.

Will men called up under tho ballot be given unfit badges if thev nro medically rejected? This was tlic question a "Press" reporter put to recruiting officials yesterday. It wa s stated that no clear instruction had been received on; tho matter, but the consensus of opinion wa s .that badges would not bo i6SU9d to such men as the certificate accompanying the badge states that the holder hag. offered his services to his King and country, but that they have not been accented owing to his' being medically unfit. As a man called ; . up under the Military Service Act does not offer his services, it is held that he 13 P°^, ent 'tled to the badge. A thorough examination of the records shows that 15.000 men have | volunteered in the Ohristchurch group |; area-for activo service since the beginSmg of the war till the present time. jf THE BED FED REQUEST. ? ACTING-PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY. Following is a copy of the letter addressed by tho Hon. J. Allen, ActingPriffio Minister, to Mr H. Hunter, secrotary of the United Federation of labour, in reference to the introducing of .the compulsory clauses of the Miliary Service Act:— .%»—I am in receipt of your letter i nstant < ' n which vou ask ™*t before the provisions of the Mili- ' , Service Act arc put into operation : t should be taken for the pur- • SSf ascertaining whether the elecr j?* B °J"o in favour of the conscription v- • 6 manhood of the ' Dor, This question was fullv i by Parliament and | J™ ffimd of the people evidently was 1 n? known that only a few members v J "wjiamcnt ventured to vote against £ •> "5® Military Service Act being placed f, ?P° n the Statute Book. I regret that Mf 8 *? 0 " com Pl v with your request. The of tho Empire and of our count « " New Zealand is of the most I ~~P remo . importance, and that safety ti be secured unless the Empire If J O ." tho Allies provide a steady flow of ' i®~ or f® ment s to make up for the k«j - at ma -* ®ccur in the fightingimediirmg this frightful war. A very proportion of the manhood of the hag already volunteered. No »JrY herc nt V , man y men of military vf® *ho are willing to enlist, but who tfcJt V 5U , :t l ''ffi cu lfc to judge whether : Un f " com °- so<?rcts that the raurest vlan in such eases is to allow mow ?t to dtcide for tliem. Tho has been very carefully con- ! ■ J™'" 1 !! its aspects by the Parlia0e the country, and it is the duty ! vigheg 3 oTcrnuicnt 10 can 7 ol|fc its