THE BALLOT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1917, Page 4

THE BALLOT.

FIRST DIVISION BEiNG RA'Plptt EXHAUSTED.

By Telegraph;— Press AJsoolaMojl Wellington, UUt Nljiht. The number of names drawn in the eighth ballot total 8545, but about 600 names were withdrawn in the proooss of checking, owing to the discovery of the men concerned being already members of the Expeditionary Force W dead. Tha withdrawn names are published in a special list at the end of the Gazette, so that the whole 8545 men are accounted for, and there is no room for suspicion of unfairness. The withdrawals mean a reduction of nearly 0 per cent of the number of reservists from whom the recruits required are to be obtained after the Medical and Military Service Boards have done their work. This wastage is one of the factors to be reckoned with by the recruiting authorities;'in connection with the ballots.

Nearly forty-four thousand members of the first division have been drawn in the ballots, the division being depleted at the same time by voluntary enlist* ment, and contains not more than between thirty and thirty-one thousand at the present time. The remaining men tn the first division should understand that their turns are bound to come within the next four months, since the division win be exhausted in that period at the present rate of drawing.

Voluntary recruits are now bains tak* en for the 32nd reinforcements, due tri be mobilised in September.