FIRST BALLOT

Evening Star, Issue 23689, 24 September 1940, Page 6

FIRST BALLOT

DRAWING COMMENCED THIS MORNING 16,000 MEH FROM FIRST DIVISION ADVICE NOTICES NEXT WEEK [Pek United Pjkess Association.] WELLINGTON, September 24. This morning, at 9 o’clock, a start was made in drawing the 16,000 men from the first division of the General Reserve to supply an additional 6,000 men for Territorial service within New Zealand ; and on Wednesday of next week the men selected will receive advice notices, and their names will be published in a ‘ Gazette.’ The names are being drawn by officers of the National Service Department, under the supervision of Mr Stilwell, S.M., but the drawing is arranged in such a way that those actually engaged do not know who has been drawn. One hundred and eighty cards are drawn at a time, and the first issue took just about 30 minutes from the time the marbles were put in the barrel until notices to the men drawn had been typed. It is anticipated that the full 16,000 will be drawn in four days, an ambitious undertaking compared with the results obtained when drawing was first resorted to during the last war. Before the drawing commenced, the Ministers of National Service and Defence, Messrs Semple and Jones,,spoke briefly to those engaged in the work, and congratulated them on the way in which they had prepared for the ballot.

Mr Semple said lie was satisfied that the system of drawing was foolproof, and would be scrupulously fair. The ballot was a preliminary one to secure 6,000 men for the Territorial Forces. There would be other ballots for overseas service. Mr Jones said the Defence Department now had to rely on men drawn for service to fill up any deficiencies in the forces, and he hoped that the men drawn would accept the position in the very best of spirit. He believed that the young men of New Zealand would accept the call to service and play their part along with their mates already in uniform. The drawing commenced with 2,000 men required for the Northern Military District. The first marble was drawn bv the Minister of National Service. Colonel Mead. Adjutant-general, was present for a time, and the Director of National Service, Mr J. S. Hunter, and the Assistant Director, Mr H, L. Bockett. took an active part in the drawing, v