RECRUITING FOR THE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2984, 23 January 1917, Page 6

RECRUITING FOR THE FRONT

THE BALLOTED MEN

DRAFTS ENTERING CAMP

Drafts of recruits, consisting mainly of reservists drawn in tho ballots, aro being taken into the military camps ■week by week at the present time, and the Defence authorities hope that the accumulated' shortages will soon be cleared away. The machinery of tlie Military Service Act has not operated as quickly as was expected in the early stages, but it is stated to be proving generally effective. The rate of mobilisation will be much 'improved when tho additional Military Service Boards got to work and dispose of the many hundreds of appeals now in hand. Tho names of the members of tho new Military Service Boards will bo announced very shortly. The personnel of somo of tho. boards has been arranged, but there have been delays in other cases owing to the'unwillingness or the inability of the men selected by the Defence Department to undertake tho duties. Tho representation of Labour on the boards has received attention. Probably the members of the new boards will have to assemble in Wellington before they commence work, in. order that they may have explained to them the methods of working and tho decisions, already given by the original boards in certain "test cases. Uniformity of practice in the hearing and determination of appeals is regarded as important. Voluntary recruiting, according to rer ports from various parts of the country, 'continues to provide a fairly large stream of men for the reinforcements. There is no likelihood that any future draft will be completely filled by volunteers, but apparently there will be a "substantial leavening of voluntary recruits in eacli reinforcement.