FIRST BALLOT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 250, 19 September 1940, Page 10

FIRST BALLOT

TERRITORIAL FORCES. SELECTION. OF 16,000. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. The drawing of the ballot to select recruits for the Territorial Forces will commence next Tues.day, September 24, said the Minister of National Service (Hon. It. Semple), in a statement to-day. Mr Semple added that the total number of reservists to be selected for service would be 16,000. It was estimated the work could not he completed before the end of the week. ' The total of 16,000 would be made up of district quotas as follow: Auckland ... 2000 Paeroa 1350 Whangarei 1450 Hamilton 2000 Wellington 1900 Wanganui 750 Napier 1000 New Plymouth 1000 Nelson 750 Christchurch 1900 Dunedin 900 Invercargill 1000 OUTLINE OF PROCEDURE.

The procedure to he followed, said Mr Semple, while simple and practical, had been the subject ot a great deal ' of thought and careful planning to ensure the absolute fairness of the proceedings, which would he under the supervision of a Stipendiary Magistrate and in the presence of a representative of the Police Department. The Minister explained that every First Division reservist was represented in the register by a typewritten card contaihing-his full name, address, age. occupation, and registration number, besides other particulars. These cards were arranged in trays of 500,1 each in alphabetical order. Two ballot j boxes would be used, the first to determine the order in which the trays were: to be placed on the tables and the second to decide the cards which would be drawn from the trays. Prior to the putting of marbles in the ballot boxes they would be exhibited in the trays so that t'he Magistrate and other officials might assure themselves that no number had been omitted. The ballot lor the position of the trays having been carried out. the marbles for the cards, which would bo numbered from one to 500. would be put into the second ballot box, which would be revolved, and one would be withdrawn. The number would be chalked up on a blackboard. Then the attendants would select the appropriate card without, however, withdrawing it, so that its identity could be determined even from the front of the tray.

* NAMES TO BE GAZETTED. After six marbles had been withdrawn from the ballot box the responsible officers would pass down the rows of travs and, after satisfying themselves that the correct cards had been turned up, they would wholly withdraw them, replacing each one with a blank card. , , f When it appeared that the quota tor a certain district had been filled, a careful count would be made of the cards removed from the trays, and, this being found correct, the registration numbers and names of the reservists drawn would he recorded by means of a dictaphone. The lists ot the names and addresses of the men called up would then be prepared for publication in the Gazette, and individual notices to the reservists concerned would he despatched by registered post. Copies of the Gazette would be available for- inspection by the public at post offices throughout the Dominion, while the newspapers would publish the lists for the districts in which they circulated. Mr Semple again stressed the necessity for reservists notifying changes of address, and, with regard to appeals, said reservists having been drawn m the ballot and wishing to appeal must do so within ten days of the Gazette notice—that was not later than October 12. Appeals against Territorial service must be sent to the secretary of the Mail-Power Committee ior the district in which the appellant resided.