RECRUITING.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1917, Page 2

RECRUITING.

Ballot for 27tiis & 28ths.

Instructions io Men

(Per Government Favour.)

■WELLINGTON, Feb 5

Recruiting for the 37th and 28th Reinforcements closed on Saturday, and a ballot is now proceeding to make good the shortage. . The toal number of voluntary enlistments for the 27th draft was 1251, and for the 28th draft 768, leaving a respective shortage of 923 and 1267 for the two reinforcements.

Tlio total number required to bo balloted for in order to allow the usual margin for exemptions and medical unfitness is 5867.

It is expected that tho Gaietto containing the list of Reservists on whom the lot has fallen, will be published at tho beginning of next week, ana as announced previously tho medical examination of all men so called up for service will be commenced forthwith.

I wish the men who passed as unfit for aetivo service to clearly understand that there is no need for them to appeal or if they have already sent in an appeal that, there is no need for them to pursue the appeal. They should at once withdraw their appeal, and thus save their own timo as well as that of the Military Service Boards.

A man who is passed as unfit will bo transferred to tho homo section of the Expeditionary Forco and will bo given indefinite leave without pay; which means that ho will be in a position to continuo his ordinary civil life. If at any timo men are wanted for homo service a call will bo" made for volunteers from those who have been passed as fit.

I think this explanation is necessary, as many men seem to be under tho impression that, though unfit for active sevice, their transfer to home service means that they are to ho held by the defence authorities for service in New Zealand.

That is not the intention at present, because it is anticipated that all tho unfit men, who aro wanted for service in tho camps and forts and dofenco service in the Dominion, will be readily obtainable by voluntary enlistments. If at any timo it should become necessary to compulsorily call up tho men who arc now passed as unfit in order to use them for home servico in tho Dominion, tlio same right of appeal will be. extended to them ns is now given to tlio men who aro passed as fit for active service with tho Expeditionary Force. I also wish to repeat that tlio decision to ballot for tho sliortago in two reinforcements this month is solely due to • tho . fact that more timo is required between the date of the ballot and the time when the men aro duo ki camp to commence training, in whioh to medically examine the men and hoar appeals, etc. At tlio present timo only one month has been allowed for these things, but by the alteration now niado two months will be available. JAMES ALLEN, Chairman Recuiting Board.