ENROLLING THE RESERVE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2871, 8 September 1916, Page 6

ENROLLING THE RESERVE

PROGRESS OF THE WORK

ACKNOWLEDGING APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES.

"It is still evident from reports in the Press and from communications received by tlie board," announced tbe Recruiting Board .yesterday, "that there is a widespread anxiety on the part of reservists, for some evidence of their enrolment in the Roserve, pending the issue of certificates of enrolment. It lias therefore been decided that the Government Statistician shall acknowledge the" receipt of each application, and that such acknowledgment will be a temporary proof of enrolment untrt it is replaced in due course by tlie certificate itself. It will be clearly understood, of course, that once the certificate is issued the temporary acknowledgment card will entirely cease to have any value as proof of enrolment.

"Arrangements have been made to I overtake the accumulation of applications already received, and it is hoped that within the next week or ten days every Teservist who has applied for a certificate of enrolment will have received an acknowledgment card. Any reservist, therefore, who has applied for his certificate of, enrolment, and who_ does not get an acknowledgment card within' the time stated above, should at once renew his application." Tho task of issuing the certificates of enrolment is proving rather more formidable than was originally anticipated, owing to tlie necessity for checking the names already recorded in the National Register, hut the Government Statistician is confident that his staff will be able to send out the acknowledgments promptly and distribute the certificates ; of enrolment within a reasonable period. In any case the point need not concern the reservists, whoss duty is confined to making their applications in proper form for their certificates of enrolment. The man of military age who has not yet taken steps to securo a certificate' lias a week left '"J? to do his part and avoid the penalties that attach neglect. Inquiries are still being made as to the measures that are to follow the enrolment of tho Reservo. No definite information can be given on that point, smco the operation of the Military Seryico Act is contingent upon n failure in tho supply of volunteers, and there is no proof yet that volunteers will not be available for some months (..tn come. The task tho Recruiting Board has in hand at present ib the enrolment of the < Expeditionary Force Reserve, to which every mail of military age in' New Zealand belongs unless ho lias already served abroad during the present war. Tlie reservist may bo sure that he will receive ample notice of trie next step and that m the moantime his duty is simply to place himself in possession of his certificate of enrolment.