GENERAL RESERVISTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21226, 24 September 1940, Page 6

GENERAL RESERVISTS

16,000 FOR TERRITORIALS ADVICE NEXT WEDNESDAY NORTHERNERS DRAWN FIRST (by Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Tuesday This morning at nine o’clock a start was made with, the drawing of 16,000 men from the First Division of the General Reserve to supply an additional 6000 men for territorial service within New Zealand. Tomorrow week the men selected will receive advice, and the notices and names will be published in a Gazette. The names are being drawn by officers of the National Service Department under the supervision of Mr F. W. Stilwell, S.M., but the drawing is arranged in such a way that those actually engaged do not know who has been drawn. A hundred and eighty cards are drawn at a time, and the first issue took just about 30 minutes from the time the marbles were put in the barrel until the notices to the men drawn had been typed. It is expected that the full 16,000 will be drawn in four days, an ambitious undertaking when compared with the results obtained when drawing was first resorted to during the last war. Before the drawing commenced the Ministers of National Service and Defence, the Hons. R. Semple and F. Jones respectively, spoke briefly to those engaged in the work and congratulated them on the way in which they had prepared for the ballot. Mr Jones said he hoped men drawn would accept the position in the very best spirit. He believed the young men of New Zealand would accept the call to service and play their part along with their mates already in uniform. The drawing commenced with the men required for the northern military district. The first marble was drawn by the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, but Colonel Mead, AdjutantGeneral, was present for a time, and the Director of National Service, Mr J. S. Hunter, and the AssistantDirector, Mr H. L. Bockett, took an active part in the drawing. From the No. 4 (Hamilton) military area 2000 names will be published in the Waikato Times immediately the Extraordinary Gazette is published from Wellington. The Gazette will contain 100 pages and will be available lor public inspection at all post offices. Reservists who are drawn in the ballot who wish to appeal for exemption lrom service must do so within 10 days of the publication of the Gazette notice, that is, not later than October 12. Appeals should be forwarded to whe secretary of the Man-Power Committtee in the district in which the appellant resides, No. 4 area appeals to be forwarded to Mr P. Gallagher.