BALLOT DETAILS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1940, Page 8

BALLOT DETAILS

By Telegraph—Press Association.

TERRITORIAL FORCES START ON SEPTEMBER 24

Wellington, bept. i». "The drawing of the ballot to select recruits for the territorial forces will commence next Tuesday, September 24," said the Minister of Natiorfal Service, the Hon. R. Semple, in a statement to-day. He added that tne total number of reservists to be selected for service would be 16,000. It was estimated that the work could not be completed before, the end of the week. The total of 16,000 would be jnade up of district auotas as follows: —

Absolute Fairness. The procedure to be followed, said Mr. Semple, while simple and practical, had been the subject of a great deal of thought and careful planning to ensure the absolute fairness of the proceedings, which would be under the supervision of a stipendiary magistrate and in the presence of a representative of the Folice Department. The Minister explained that every first division reservist was represented in the register by a typewritten card containing his full name and address, age, occupation and registration number, besides other particulars. These cards were arranged in trays of 500 each in alphabetical order. Two ballot boxes would be used, the first to determine the order in which the trays would be placed on the tables and t,he second to decide the cards which would be drawn from the trays. Prlor to putting the marbles In the ballot boxes they would be exhibited in trays, so that the magistrate and other officials might assure themselves that no number had been omitted. The ballot for the position of the trays having been carried out, the marbles for the cards, which would be numbered from one to 500, would be put into the second ballot box, which would be revolved and one withdr ,wn. If, for the sake of illustration, said Mr. Semple, -his shoull be number 253, it would be chalked up on a blackboard. Then the attendante would select the appropriate card, without, however, withdrawing it so that Its identity could be determined even from the front of the tray. Careful Check. After six marble-, had been withdrawn from the ballot box responsible officers would pass down the rows of trays and, after satisfying themselves the correct cards had been turned up, they would wholly withdraw them, replacing each one with a blank card. When it appeared that the quota for 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 t .'awn would be recorded by means of a dictaphone. Lists of the names and addresses of the men called up would then be prepared for publication in the Gazette and individual notices to tfaei/ reservists concerned would be dispaftcfied by registered post. The Gazette, which it was estimated would contain more than 100 pages, would be published on the Wednesday following the taking of the ballot and copies would be available for inspection by the public at post offices throughout the Dominion, while newspapers would publish the lists for the districts in which they circulated. Mr. Semple again stressed the necessity for reservists notlfying changes oi address and, with regard to appeals, he said that reservists having been drawn in the ballot 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 manpower committee for the district in which the appellant resided.

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