FIRST BALLOT ON TUESDAY

Southland Times, Issue 24236, 20 September 1940, Page 6

FIRST BALLOT ON TUESDAY

TERRITORIAL dFOR£E RECRUITS INVERCARGILL’S QUOTA 1000 MEN (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 19. “The drawing of the ballot to select recruits for the Territorial Forces will begin next Tuesday, September 24,” said the Minister of National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) in a statement today. He added that the total number of reservists to be selected for service will be 16,000. It was estimated the work could not be completed before the end of the week. The total of 16,000 will be made up of district quotas as follows:

CAREFUL PLANNING

“The procedure to be followed,” said Mr Semple, “while simple and practical, has been the subject of a great deal of thought and careful planning to ensure the absolute fairness of the proceedings which will be 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 ir. the register by a typewritten card containing his full name, address, age, occupation and registration number besides other particulars. These cards were arranged in trays of 500 each in alphabetical order. The ballot boxes would be used, the first to determine the order in which the trays are to be placed on the tables and the second to decide the cards which will be drawn from the trays. Before putting the marbles in the ballot boxes they will be exhibited in trays so that the Magistrate and other officials might assure themselves that no number has been omitted. The ballot for the position of the trays having been carried out the marbles for the cards, which will be numbered from one to 500, will be put into the second ballot box, which will be revolved and one withdrawn. “If, for the sake of illustration,” said Mr Semple, “this should be No. 253, it would be chalked up on a blackboard and 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. After six marbles had been withdrawn from the ballot box responsible officers would pass down the rows of trays and after satisfying themselves the correct cards had been turned up they will wholly withdraw them, replacing each one with a blank card. When it appears that the quota for a certain district has been filled a careful count will be made of the cards removed from the trays and this being found correct the registration numbers and the names of reservists drawn will be recorded by means of a dictaphone. Lists of the names and addresses of the men called up will then be prepared for publication in the Gazette and individual notices to reservists concerned will be despatched by registered post.

‘jA Gazette which it is estimated will contain more than 100 pages will be published on the Wednesday following the taking of the ballot and copies will be available for inspection by the public at Post Offices throughout the Dominion, while the newspapers will publish the lists for the districts in which they circulate.”

Mr Semple again emphasized the necessity for reservists notifying changes of address and with regard to appeals he said reservists having been drawn in the ballot wishing to appeal must do so within 10 days of the Gazette notice, that was, not later than October 12. Appeals against territorial service must be sent to the Secretary of the Man-Power Committee for the district in which the appellant resided.

WIDE VARIATIONS IN NUMBERS.

TOTALS FOR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS

An explanation of apparent dispari- * ties in the numbers of men to be selected by ballot in the different districts was given by the Southland area officer of the Army Department (Major H. C. Mackenzie) in reply to an inquiry yesterday. He said that the numbers of men to be called up by ballot were arranged according to the shortages in the territorial strengths in each district.

Southland’s high total in comparison with those of other larger districts might be due to the fact that a greater percentage of serving territorials had already joined up with the Expeditionary Force than in other areas. The number of names to be drawn in the ballot was very much higher than the requirements to fill the quota because deductions would occur through rejections by the Medical Board, men being in reserved occupations and appeals from selection. In a farming district such as Southland a greater percentage of men was in reserved occupations than in city areas, where very few men were in reserved occupations. Serving territorials were also liable to be drawn in the ballot. When all the deductions had been made it was probable that the number of men available for drafting to camp would not be much greater than the actual requirements.

Auckland 2000 Paeroa 1350 Whangarei 1450 Hamilton 2000 Wellington 1900 Wanganui 750 Napier 1000 Netv Plymouth 1000 Nelson 750 Christchurch 1900 Dunedin 900 Invercargill 1000 TOTAL 16,000