A BIG SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3067, 1 May 1917, Page 6

A BIG SHORTAGE

FOR 31st REINFORCEMENTS

RECORD BALLOT TO-DAy

-Complete figures from the various districts show that the number of voluntary, recruits'secured for the Thirtyftrst Reinforcements was only 617, leaving a national shortage of 1706 men. ■ This is the biggest shortage yet recorded for a single draft. Bay'of •llenty was,the sole district to secure a_ lull quota by voluntary enlistment. Wellington City and Suburbs found 55 volunteers out of a quota of 245. Auckland found 164 out of 364 required, Christchurch 23 out of 173, and Dunedin 62 out of 150. North Canterbury and the West Coast found one recruit ■each. \ '■. The ballot to provide the men required to cover this shortage will be begun to-day by the Government Statistician, and it is announced that tho authorities intend to draw five names for each recruit needed. No fewer than 8530 names will be drawn from -the roll of the First Division, which yll then contain under 40,000 names. The proportion originally was three to one. This did not provide the necessary number of recruits, and the proportion; was increased at the last ballot to four to one. A further increase is; row considered necessary, owing to the high- proportion of rejections," exemptions, suspensions, etc., and the continued failure of the monthly, mob-' ihsations to wipe out the shortage that accumulated last vear under the voluntary system. The drafts in training cannot be brought to full strength without a substantial increase in the Tate of recruiting, voluntary or com•pulsory. .

The number of .voluntary recruits for the Thirty-first Reinforcements in each of the districts, and the extent of the shortages are shown in the following table:— -- ■ fi

_ r Recruiting .Voluntary Short-j'-Ao. District. Recruits, age. 1 Auckland City 164 200 2 Hauraki 24 '36 3 North Auckland ...... ,16 , 53 M Waikato i 25 78 5 Wellington City ...... '55 . 190 6 Hawke's Bay 45 47 ■ 7 Manawatu '. 15 93 •8 Taranaki 23 89 9 Christehurch ........;„ 23 150 . 10 South Canterbury ... 6 101 11 North Canterbury ... 1 60 12 Nelson 11 73 ISPunedin .5..... 62 88 14 : Southland 25 113 ",< lo North Otago — jm 16 Clutho.. _ 47 .1-7 Hay of Plenty 51 _ 18 Wairarapa 21 69 19 Poverty Bay 22 50 20 Wanganui 1 ,'. 27 61 21 West Coast "1 53 ■' Totals. ..617 1706 The ballot will be begun to-day, but ltMs not likely to, be completed be-to-morrow evening. The names or the men selected for. service will probably be published at the beginning of next week.