SPEEDING UP THE BALLOT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1664, 20 January 1917, Page 3

SPEEDING UP THE BALLOT.

“We are going to increase the number of Military Service Boards from four to eight,” said the Minister of Defence (the lion. J. Allen) (o n reporter. “There has been a certain amount of congestion in connection with appeals during the initial stages of the scheme, and we wish to avoid anything of the kind in the future. We have already created two additional Medical Boards, and Ave propose to add two more. The additional boards may not be required when the scheme is in full working .order and all accumulations of Avork have been cleared aAvay, but they will be retained if t here is Avork for them to perform.” The Minister added that experience had shown the date of the ballot to be too near the dale of mobilisation. The interval was four weeks, and as each recruit had to be allowed at least a fortnight to arrange his own affairs there avus not enough time for the necessary administrative work, the hearing of appeals, and the conducting of the medical examinations. He had decided, therefore, to extend the period between the ballot aAd the mobilisation to eight weeks. The change would involve. draAving a double number of names at the next bill lot, so as to cover lavo reinforcements, one due to be mobilised four Avceks later, and the other eight weeks later. The subsequent ballots Avould all be eight weeks in advance of the mobilisation of the reinforcements for which the men Avere dniAvn. The public should understand clearly that the drawing of a double number of names Avould not mean any increase in the number of men required. The change would simply give reservists - more notice that their services were required.’’