Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JUNE 21st 1916. THE SECOND DIVISION.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JUNE 21st 1916. THE SECOND DIVISION.

Tiie amended classification of crie Second Division #f th© Expeditionary Force Reserve, which has been under the consideration of the Recruiting Board has been approved by Cabinet. Conveying the information to a “Dominion” reporter after <the meeting Sir James Allen said that under the amended classification the Second Division would consist of six classes and that age would not be a factor in classification. The classes-are as follow:

(a) Mon between ihe ages of 20 and 46 years who have no child-

ren(b) Men who hav© one child. (c) Men who have two children. (d) Men who have three cmrJren. (e) Men who have four children. (f) Men who have more - than four children. In all tlies© classes the age is between 20 and 46 yea re. I wantt© say with re-gard-to the question of dependants” said the Minister, “that it is not prat-fen* ble in classifying this Second Division to take into account dependants other than wives and children because the Government Statistician has no particulars as to the number of dependants of reservists and it would not he possible to get this information without a groat deal of inquiry. But those who have dependants other than wife and children hav© ample protection, because they have the right to appeal to the Military Service Board on account of undue hardship and this is one of the reasons why the Military Service Boards were established. I also desire to say with regard t,o mon'of 43, 44, n.ntl'46 years of age that in all probability wo shall have to make arrangemoats to allot them to the home service branch, because it is found that if they have com e to tile ago of 45 whe ; v they have reached England they are not sent forward to the front in France. It has been found hv experience that these men cannot stand the strain of campaigning as men of less ago.” The lie"’ classification of the Second Division which may he regarded as final provides a basis for some calculation -is to tlie probable dates when members of various groups will become liable for orvico. Exact dates are not available sine© some data is largely speculative, rt is impossible to toll just when the first call ou Ith© Second Division will ho made, and> what proportion of the Second Division men "'ill prove to be fit for service in the Expeditionary Force; but % may b e assumed fairly confidently that a married man with one child will not become liable servico under the compulsory clauses of the Military Service Act before December or January next. The first call on the nien with two children each may be made about five months later, that is, in May or June of next year. These dates cannot he taken as official, but they are not l'ikely to be anticipated. The 'number of men remaining in the First Division at the present tim© is in the neighbourhood of 30,000. It is likely that after til© next ballot, or possibly oven earlier, the remainder of th First Division will ,ho called up en bloo. The men will then ho medically examined, arid, if fit s drafted to Reinforcements. This hastening of the ballot process would havo the effect of simplifying the task of the recruiting branch in dealing with the Second Divi»ion, by supplying definite information as to the number of fit men remaining in the FirstDtvision, and it would facilitate the “washing-up” operations that have still to bo undertaken in connexion with that division. A certain amount of over-lapping as between the divisions seems inevitable, hut the Defence authorities desire to reduce it to a minimum.

works there has freen the suggestion of that certain steps might be taken by the authorities which would considerably delay the completion of the work. The bottom heading is now re- ' ported to be less than, fifty chains , unpiereed, which is very satisfactory, j Of late progress has been well maintained, though at times more difficult and extra wet country is being passed. This water difficulty is worse at the Bealey end for the reason that pumps have to be resorted: t°> to enable the excavation to go on. It is this side of the work which is likoly to hamper matters and necessitate the delay referred to above. The volums of drainage met with, combined with th© .shortage of labour is likoly in the point of ct to lead to the cessation of work at tli© Bealey end. It is believed that this is more than a suggestion now for the reason, also, that the power scheme under which through traffic is likely to be working is still undetermined. This is not very cheering news for it means more protracting delay still in the consummation of the great wish to see through railway traffic east and westDespite the enormous possibilities of trade and intercourse which would develop with the opening of tlio railway the Government still lack tho interest and the enthusiasm in the .work to put, forth the effort necessary to speedily finish the line. With Parliament about to meet the question should bo re-urg-ed with all possible influence, behind it,

In view of t-ho great possibilities for inter-coastal trade by tbe overland route it is surprising that the authorities seek to delay the completion by a single month. Yet present prospects are that there will be many months of delay after the tunnel is pierced. Tho fact that nothing appears to be decided in regard to power . for working the lino through the tunnel indicates the supineness of the Government. A very large amount of capital is sunk in this national work, and the delay is adding and adding to the cost by the fact that interest has to h e paid out of capital funds. The value of the work is being unduly overloaded by this method when it is already recognised! by the authorities that the traffic on the line is goingto eclipse easily tin. first estimates made of the possible receipts. These figures produced a payable proposition, hut it can ho seen now that the estimates were quite below the possibilities of the trade. There Is. ono factor that was never taken into account,.and that was the stock trade going oast. When the railway was first schemed the Coast drew most of its stock from the other side of the range and ic was never contemplated that there would he an export trade in the opposite direction. As a matter of fact, wilth the .incomplete connection there is already a very considerable stock traffic from the West t.o the East Coast In the year first ending it is interesting to record that from Arthurs’s Pnss to Canterbury stations the following stock from the Coast was carried by rail Cattle 2973 head; Calves, 4 ; Sheep, 16. 297; Pigs 20 Hero is an indication of the profitable feeder the Coasit will he to the through line, and the Government should bo made to realise the loss going on year by year through the noncompletion of tl'i-s great arterial work which will ho such an all-round boon.