THE LAST WORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1916, Page 8

THE LAST WORD.

TO ELIGIBLE MEN. YOUR COUNTRY CALLS YOU. • ' Wellington, Ln3t Night, The Recruiting Board desires to give a final reminder to men of militar. age of the duties imposed on them in connection with the enrolment of the Expeditionary Force reserve. Certain men seem to be still in some doubt about their duties under the Military Service Act. The posters, placards, advertisements, news paragraphs, and lantern slides have explained that the task of the Government Statistician is to have a complete inventory of the military man-power of New Zealand. He hns to ascertain the numbers of men eligible for service in defence of their country and their addresses. . A personal onus is on every man of military age to be properly enrolled in the Expeditionary Force Reserve, and to report promptly any change of address that may take place. Theieafter each re servist must give unmistakable information to enable the authorities to keep in touch with him. Persons who shift about from one district to another must take all reasonable precautions to enable the authorities to communicate .vitli them without avoidable loss of time. Vague addresses such as "care of post office," are not acceptable; they do not comply with the Act. For their own protection, reservists must apply for certificates of enrolment. They are advised to be content temporarily with the acknowledgment cards. If they do not receive acknowledgment cards within a reasonable time after forwarding their applications they should at once communicate again with the Government Statistician. The Statistician's office is working at very high pressure on tasks which have to be done satisfactorily and completely in one operation. First comes the enrolment, and next is the issue of certificates of enrolment. Everything will be done 'awfully and thoroughly in time, but all things cannot be done at once., Third in order of urgency is the treatment of certificates of rejection or exemption already held by numbers of reservists. The original certificates should be posted by registered lettei to the Government Statistician, so that the register may be endorsed with the fact that these reservists have previously volunteered and not been accepted for service. The reservists concerned, however, are advised to defer the posting for three or four weeks. If the documents are sent on now they must await their turn, which cannot come for three or four weeks till other more urgent matters have received attention. It is also open now to any man who has previously volunteered and not been accepted because of medical unfitness to apply to the Commandant, under Section 72 of the Military Service Act, for his discharge from the reserve. Ha slpuld in his application state the number or date and office of issue of his rejection certificate. It is proposed in every case to ask the reservists who thus applies for his discharge to go before a medical board for re-examination, On the report of such board the Commandant will determine whether or not a discharge from the reserve is to be granted. * (Sgd.) W. F. MASSEY, Chairman.