Military Service.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 14 September 1917, Page 3

Military Service.

Wielliiigton, September 10. It is now possible to give in further detail particulars concerning the Second Division, the first class of which will be balloted for at the end of next month and go into camp three months later. There are 19,000 men in clssr A of the Second Division, and from 20,000 to 25,000 in each of classes B, C, D, and E, so that there are very few men of military age with families of over four children, the total strength of the Second Division being 109 000. Though a certain number of doubtful classes have been posted to class A, it is confidently anticipated that this class will provide at least two months' reinforcements, and with a little luck three, for to it have to be added the youths coming of military age. Something like 400 youths, are posted to the First Division every month. It is understood that for a beginning at any rate, the Second Division will be called up at the ratio of four to one. If class A, with the youths reaching military age, provides for three montns' reinforcements, the men in class B will not go to the ballot till the end of January, as they on the same ratio should supply four drafts, the first going iuto camp at the end of April, the class C men—those with two children—should not be balloted until the end of May, leaving for camp at the end of August. Of course, this is the assumption that the ratio of four to one will be adhered to, but it is extremely likely, in view of the many exemptions that will have to be granted to farmers and others and the possibility of-a small proportion of fit men, that the rati*> may have to be considerably increased, if not more than doubled, in which case the above somewhat sanguine forecast will have to be Considerably discounted. The possibility is tnat the Second Division will not last 12 months. It is understood that voluntary enlisting on the part of members of the Second Division will shortly be stopped altogether. In view of this, the present military recruiting districts will be abolished, and a draft will be called up from the |dominion as a whole and not on a district basis as in the case of the First Division. The Amendment Bill to the Military Service Act,-in addition to enacting this, w ill also provide for the automatic calling up of youths reaching military age for the residue of X class and the balloting of the succeeding class to make up the shortage. For example, say, that after providing two drafts there is a surplus of class A men not sufficient with First Division I men to provide a full third reinforcement,'; these men would, with the youths posted to the First Division, ba automatically called up, and class B balloted for to provide the remainder of the draft.