THE SECOND DIVISION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3113, 18 June 1917, Page 4

THE SECOND DIVISION

STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER. liofcrring in Auckland to thn impending mobilisation of men from the Second Division, tho Minister of Detence (Sir James Allen) stated that there wore about 120,000 men ■in tho Second Division, which, at tho rate of 10,000 per draft, would give al2 months' supply. Ho thought it would be necessary to call up quito 10,000 in each draft, thus allowing about 4j to 1 required. This proportion would Iμ necessary, ho considered, in spite of the fact lhat there might bo a liighor average of physical fitness in the Second Division, than thero was in. tho first owing to tho goneral standard of tho latter having been roducod bot'oro tho operation of tlio ballot by volunteering. As against these, thero would bo many who would have to bo exempted on account of hardship or public interest:. Again, in tho past thore had been a number of voluntary enlistments which had kept tho ballot down so that, on tho whole, 10,000 would not bo too large a draft, i Tho Dominion was in honour bound to keep up its lleinforcomont quotas to tho present strength. Sir James deprecated talk of the war lasting another two or thrco years, which, ho eaid, camo from people who were no friends of those who wanted to win. tho war. It had to 1.0 borne in mind, nevertheless, that hostilities might last over this year, and that provision, must bo raado lor that possibility in economic matters,' finance, and industry. Personally ho thought thero was a fair chance of tho war ending victoriously this year, and he had not lost hope of Russia coming in again before the year closed. The revision of the Second Division was final, eaid Sir James. Speaking of tho Government's decision that voluntary recruiting for tho First Division, shall cease, he said that otherwiso thero would 1)0 overlapping with tho Second Division. It had not yet been decided whether voluntary enlistment in lihe Second Division should be allowed. There seemed to him to be no object in keeping it going at all. However, there would be cases, no donbt, of men wishing to volunteer as soon as they had settled up their affairs, rather thnn wait to be drawn in the ballot: Such men had not been stopped so far, and ho did not know that they would be.