SECOND DIVISION MEN

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 350, 5 February 1918, Page 4

SECOND DIVISION MEN

Not Required Before April Now that the men of the Second Division are called up, the B men are naturaJv anxious to know when they are likely to be required. No definite information can be given to them, but the Minister will make a statement on the subject in the course of a day or two. The policy of the department and the Minister regarding this and similar questions has been a wise one. They have preferred to keep silent rather than to tell the Second Division men that they would not be needed by any date while there remained a possibility that this date might have to be advanced In the statement that the Minister will make he will almost certainly follow the same conservative rule, and mention a date which cannot be advanced and which may be postponed. On the figures revealed it would appear that he may say that the B men should be prepared to go into camp in August, but it is understood that there is more than a possibility that they may not be called into camp for a month or two later. It is explained that the arrangement to postpone the calling to camp of married men involves no discrimination between First and Second Division men. The position is that there are in hand married men of both the First and Second Divisions. None of these will be called up before April. Thev may not all be required then, this depending upon the number of vacancies to be filled. If they are not all needed First Division men will be drawn upon before the Second Division men. The men affected include such Second Division men as had volunteered for service since October 29th and were under orders to go into camp before April, and a good number of married men who by date of marriage are technically First Divisioners. The mobilising department decided it was best to cut out the married men as a whole. This provided a very simple method of selecting, and provision is made for those to go into camp who would be under hardship through postponement.