MILITARY SERVICE ACT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1736, 10 July 1917, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE ACT.

HOW IT HAS 'WORKED. MINISTER’S STATEMENTS. Some interesting information regarding the training of the New Zealand Reinforcements and. the working of the Military Service Act is given by Sir James Allen, (Minister of Defence, in a letter to Mr W T . H. Feld, M.P. for Otaki. The Minister states: “In reply to your letter of the Bth June, in which you deal with several matters affecting the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Reinforcements. Dealing seriatim with your letter, the following are the particulars: — “(1) As previously pointed out, in order to fulfil our obligations to the Imperial authorities, it is necessary to send full drafts of men, which necessitate transfer of men from junior drafts to the senior drafts, (hereby reducing the training period in New Zealand. Owing to the breakdown of (he. voluntary system of recruiting, and the enormous amount of worlc involved in setting in motion the machinery for the working of (he Military Service Act, it lias been impossible to secure a regular and adequate supply of men either by volunteers or by ballot, etc. The necessary machinery under the Military Service Act is now lieginning to run smoothly, resulting, it is anticipated, in securing a regular supply of the required numbers per month. Further, owing to the difficulties in arranging sea transport, it is necessary that all available space on the ships offering he utilised, otherwise the Government would ho put to unnecessary extra expense, particularly in (he ease of hired liners, “(2) The Imperial authorities are not deceived in regard to the question of the training of the men who have been recently despatched after a short period in camp in New Zealand. With each draft a comprehensive 'report is forwarded to (ho military authorities in the United Kingdom, selling out clearly the period of training each man has performed in New Zealand, together with the qualifications. On all occasions (he attention of the military authorities in (he Filled Kingdom is specially drawn to the short period of training performed by some of Ihe men, and requesting tha t arrangements be made to continue their training on arrival at the base in order to thoroughly tit them before' sending (hem to the firing lino. “(3) The allegation that many hundreds of men have been rejected for active service immediately on arrival at (he base is erroneous. Admitted there are a few , who, chiefly on account of their age, have been considered -unsuitable for active service ia the Western front. The number of men in the latter category represents 1 per cent, of the total draft. ’The medical men who constitute I lie Medical Boards in New Zealand ar" selected from experienced practitioners in the Dominion, and their opinion as to whether or not a man is lit for service is the best opinion available. “(4) If you will kindly submit, either confidentially or otherwise, the names of the men whom yon stale are now in camp and who you consider would never stand the strain of trench warfare, immediate enquiry will he made, and, if necessary, they will he subjected to a thorough medical re-examination.. “(5) A detailed and systematic sifting of the cards of all men who have been drawn in the ballot, or who have been subjected to clause 35 of the Military Service Act, is now in progress, and a completed return it is anticipated, will be available shortly, which will clearly show how all men who have been drawn in the ballot or under section 35 have been dealt with. “(9) The question of non-regis-tration of reservists is now in the bands of the Govenmien't Statistician, who i< going into the matter, and it is hoped that very shortly full information in ths connection will he available.”