MILITARY SERVICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17279, 21 September 1916, Page 8

MILITARY SERVICE.

COMPILING THE REGISTER. PERSONAL CANVASS OF THE CITY. C.D.C. WORK COMPLETED. Excellent results hare attended the personal house-to-house canvas which was instituted by the C.D.C. about three months ago and ended tho week before last. In all 177 canvassers were employed, their duties being to obtain the address, occupation and age of every man of military age iu the city, and also whether he was married or single, how many dependents he had, whether or not ho had enlisted, and if so whether or not he had been rejected as unfit. In fact, everything about the man of military age relevant to enlistment. As a result a complete roll of Christchurch for the National Register has now been forwarded to the chairman of tho Recruiting Board in Wellington.

The number of men visited in Christchurch was 11,403, and full particulars of each liavo now been forwarded to headquarters. The result of the canvass was that 969 new names were added to the roll, which formerly was far from complete. The work of canvassers evidently made itself felt, for frequently during the time they were engaged in sorting out the eligible manhood of tho city there was a decided impetus to recruiting, according to the daily figures at tho local recruiting office.

As a comparison, with the personal recruiting scheme, it may be mentioned that in Wellington City an endeavour was made to complete tho roll through the post. Some 13,000 cards were sent out by post, but only 3000 of these were returned, many of them badlv filled in. and 4250 came back through the dead letter office, showing that the addressees could not be traced. Moreover, not a single now name was added to the register, so that the personal canvass has proved eminently superior to the Wellington method.