SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3019, 5 March 1917, Page 4

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

LETTER FROM THE MINISTER,

The following letter has been sent by; the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) to the Canterbury Sccoud Division; League:—

"1 Jiave teceived your letter, in which! you advise me that a league has been, formed in Canterbury in the interests of men in the Second Division' of tha Expeditionary Force Eeserve. In reply, to your Tequest for, the information with: which you ask to be furnished, I have to state as follows:—

"(a) The roll of the Second Division; of the Deserve has not yet been printed, and it is not intended to print it until the question of the classification of the> reserve hits been considered and settled. This latter matter is now receiving thra attention of the Defence authorities, andit is expected that a decision will be arrived at in the near future.

"(b) The total number of men in the? Second Division is approximately 120,000, but the actual number ha? not "yet been, counted. -

"(c) Although each schedule has been, provisionally branded with the number of the recruiting district in.which thra reservist resides, the actual number in each district has not yet been counted.

"I think you will readily understand that, since the enrolment of tho Expeditionary Force Eeserve, was proclaimed, the Government Statistician has been fully engaged in dealing with the many thousands of applications for certificates and notifications of changes of address and in preparing the First Division of the reserve for the ballots that arc now regularly taken to tuako good shortages in the Reinforcement drafts.and in conducting these ballots. Tho former work has proved much heavier than was over expected, and has'taxed tho energies of a very large staff. . "It is not anticipated that any ballot of Second Division Reservists will take place until, August next, or perhaps later. Before that date tho Second Division of the Eeserve will have been classified and each, reservist allotted to tho recruiting district to which be belongs. "I shall bo pleased at any lime to furnish you with any further information Hliat'you think may be of, 6orvico to vou, if it is within niv power to do to. ' '" (Signed) "I. ALLEN. "Minister of Defence."