THE FIRST BALLOT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2915, 30 October 1916, Page 7

THE FIRST BALLOT

RECRUITING BOARD FIXES ■?. ';' ■ DATE

FINAL APPEAL FOR VOLUNTEERS

, ■ [An official statement issued by the '(Recruiting Board states' that the first iballof. under the Military" Servico Act iwill be taken during' the week beginning November 13. Tho Twonty-third (Reinforcements will have been mobilised during the previous week, and recruiting! for the Twentyfourth"'Reinforcements, due to mobilise in December, will have been closed. Enough men will bo_ drawn by ballot, 'from the' First Division : to complete #he two drafts.

"As it is not possible, owing to the machinery, preparations being still intompleto, to take a ballot at tho present time," says the Recruiting Board, )"it has been decided to rely on voluntary recruiting to provide the men to meet- the requirements for the TwentyStlurd Reinforcements; whioh includes fall shortages for previous drafts. The 'quota for each recruiting district has &iow been based on do estimate prepared by the Government Statistician »f the men remaining in tho First Di.'.vision of the Reserve and the district .-staffs of the Defence Department, with line assistance of local committees, have ;been asked to find tho men required fby November 11, when' the Twentyjthird Reinforcements is duo to mobilise for training. , • "The Recruiting Board has been advised that the Government Statistician jwill then be in a position to _ take a :hallot under the Military Service Act, iand in view of that information it has ■HecKied, and Cabinet lias approved, Jthat voluntary enlistment 'for tho ,Twenty-fourth draft is to cease on 11, and _a ballot is to bo ijtaken in the ensuing week to make 'good any shortage in" Reinforcements :,tben [ existing. This means that recruiting for the Twenty-fourth Reinforcements will closo a month before •ithe draft goes into camp, so as to fallow time for a ballot to bo taken and jfcppeals to be lodged and heard, and the (full strength of tho _ Reiuforcemonfc completed Fofore mobilisation. "Voluntary enlistments will be accepted for the Twenty-fifth and Twerity- ' sixth Reinforcements until December 0, J.when voluntary enlistment for the [{Twenty-fifth Reinforcements will cease, (and a ballot will be taken to make good (any shortage. It must be understood, r however, that if a man who-volunteers i.while the ballot is in progress is called ; up to make good a shortage, his volunitary enlistment will be cancelled, and I lie will thereupon "bo under the orders 'of the Defenoe authorities as a soldier Jtof the Expeditionary Force. This sysI'tem- will continue for all subsequent Reinforcements.. : Voluntary recruiting (for each draft will cease one month be!fore the draft is due to, go into camp

for training, in order to allow time for any shortage to bo made good by moans of a ballof." The volunteer's Chance. Tho Recruiting Board's statement moans'that any fit man who is a member of the First Division of the Expeditionary Forco Resorvo and has not yet volunteered for sorvico has just thirteen days loft him if ho wishes to ho suro of going into camp as a volunteer. Tho lists of recruits for the Twonty-thiid and Twenty-fourth Reinforcements will bo closed 1 on November 11 and the shortages, actual and prospective, thou existing, will be calculated. 'Then'the chances of tho ballot will select'the reservists who aro to fill the gaps. Tho extent of tho shortages wifi depend upon the rate of enlistment during the next, thirteen days. Probably from 500 to 1000 men will be required at the first ballot. Tho number of names on the roll rf the First Division at the time of the taking of tho ballot probably will be about 80,000, hut the fit man cannot safely oalculate his chances of being enlisted compulsorily on the basis <t these figures. The number of fit men available for service in the First Division is not expected to exceed 25,000, and it may be necessary for tho authorities to draw 3000 names in order to securo 1000. conscripts. Naturally tho number of fit men in the division will decrease after each ballot, and consequently tho remaining ones trill have a greater chanco of being drawn. The "Family Shirkers." The distribution of notices to the men affected by Clause 85 of the Military Service Act, relating to the "family shirker," is proceeding in various parts of the country. The indications are that the number .of appeals from these men is going to be very laTge, *nd the Military Sorvico Boards, which aro to hear these appeals, may begin their work next week. There will be no unnecessary delay, since .the military authorities are counting upon securing some hundreds of men through the operation of Clause 35 to help oovor the .existing shortage. Wellington Volunteers. The following additional , recruits have taken the oath at tho Town Hall reoruiting office: — It. Myerscough, railway cadet, Khandallah. H. J. Doig, cook, City. G. E. Holloway, clerk, City. E. M. Phillips, clerk, City. S. Waters, plumber, Brooklyn. S. B. Keeble, pattemmarker, Brooklyn. J. H. Greig, coppersmith, Newtown. V. S. James, builder, City. H. A'. Jenkins, clerk, City. W. J. Morgan, clerk, City. W. G. Burton, lobourer, Newtown. F. Armitage, bushman, City. 'C. 0. Pratt, clerk. City. B. T. Layburn, clerk, City. W. A. Crow, bank clerk. City. H. C. Thornton, clerk, City. E K. Vincent, motor merchanic, City. L. D. Sullivan, clerk, City.