THE BALLOT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2932, 18 November 1916, Page 10

THE BALLOT

« SECOND DAY'S PROCEEDINGS DRAWING STILL INCOMPLETE M Tl !?j£ kin 6 of the first ballot under the Military Servico Act was continued throughout yesterday, .but the Government Statistician and liis assistants did not succeed in completing the operation. Iwcnty-six draws were taken during the clay, and at 6 p.m., after til© last draw, four districts were still ■. e ballot, and about one hundred additional names were required. Another half-hour's ..work might possibly , a , vo P rovidK ' the names. But on the .?. r there obviously was a possibility that Chance would provo caiiricious, and that the marbles would have to rattle in the barrel many times before the last of the recruits was selected. The girl assistants, who nad worked hard since 9 a.m., were wcarv, and the presiding Magistrate (Mr. S. E. M'Carthy) decided that the proceedings should be adjourned until .nine o'clock this morning. Iho machinery of the ballot moved Ji? re yesterday than it did 011 uii Irs the proportions of blanks" among the 194 cards produced by each draw increased as one district alter another secured its full nnmoer of recruits, and dropped out of. tho ballot. At 0 p.m. seven districts still needed men. But tho ballot necessarily continued to cover the fl'holfl of the First Division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve, and a majority of the cards raised when a number was called belonged to districts other than the remaining si.v. -The ynwanted cards were regarded as 'blanks," and were turned down agam. The number of "live" cards produced at a draw fell as low as 20, and there seemed every probability that it would go lower still before the end -was reached. Some slight changes in _ procedure shortened the timo required for each draw, by relieving the Magistrate of some of the mechanical work connected with the cards. It is expected that the ballot will be completed soino time this morning, lire transcription of tho names on the chosen cards has kept pace with the draws, a. small staff of assistants being employed on this task. But,a great deal of work will remain to be performed after the last card has been drawn, llio names ol : the selected recruits will all be checked carefully, first by the Government Statistician staft and then by Base Records, with the object of ensuring that the list is an accurate, copy of the names on the cards drawn in tho ballot, and that it consists of men actually liable for service. No. name will be removed from the list if it corresponds with a card. But tho officials are prepared to find that some of the men drawn aro already in the forces, and in such cases tho names will be given some special marking on the list. Only when the process of checking has been completed will tho Magistrate certify to its accuracy. Then the Government Statistician will forward it to the Government for publication in tlie Gazette, .ihe names or moil who have volunteered for service and have been declared medically unfit will be "starred" in the list, but these men will be-required, nevertheless, to subpmit themselves for medical examination with the other rncruits. If they are found to be fit now for service, they will be taken into camp. ; The propriety of taking the ballot 111 public on future occasions has been suggested in some quarters. 'Hie authorities considered this point some time ago and thought of holding the present Jiallot 111 the Wellington Town Wall, where citizens could have watched th-procedure from the gallerv. But tlie difficulties 111 the wnv of taking tfte ballot anywhere but in the rr-cm where the records of the Expeditionary Farce. Roserre are stored were recognised to be verv great, and the temporary transfer nf the records to the lown Hall would have linen iwkwnrd and possibly dangerous. The ballot has not been taken in camera. The if'n-'or of Wellington (Mr. J. I\ Luke) ' the "resident pf the Tr-des and Labour Council Afr. Jf. J. and representatives nf the newsnapers have been present throughout the pmceedings, and Kve been free to watch 0". and put a ,iv manner of question. The ballot has taken i„ore ivno than was onginMlv anticinnted. a „d it mav X. Txi p -i" tl,n ~,mM » f fC ' , r TV" is h" !n ' v wp tl"Psda.v. StM T f .1" is ♦1" nf , ,' le iM n .'lvancn of fc F C 1 Jr. the"' r af i;*7 remiirnJ ° ,' that- the renni!l-s in- V f " ,arlp aM,i °' ,,n for train"l,. Nirnoni unneopssarv delay.