THE CALL TO ARMS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15752, 20 November 1916, Page 7

THE CALL TO ARMS.

RESERVE BALLOT. CONCLUDED ON SATURDAY. SATISFACTION WITH THE SYSTEM. (srzmi. to "rnn it.kss.") WELLINGTON. November IS. The first ballot under the Military Service Act was concluded at 1Q..57 a.m. to-day. When operations were suspended yesterday evening there wera ■ four districts in which the full quota . j ia j not been obtained, and to fill these \ districts this morning twelve drawings P were necessary. As showing the luck of the ballot, it may be mentioned (say s ■ 'i tho "Post") that in six eases numbers i were drawn which tinned up a lot of ' blank cards. The biauks had been placed in most ca-c.- either immediately before or immediately alter tho guide cards so that thev should have been dn»»"n in the proportion of two to eight; bnt this morning the odds were in favour of the blank-. Tho last two marbles were drawn by the Mayor CMr J. P. Luke) and the president of the Trades Council ('Mr M. •). Reardom. Qn the conclusion of the operations the Mayor, on behalf of the citizens ; and of the people of New Zeahnid. ; thanked the Government Statistician J (Mr Malcolm Fraser). the supervising 3lagistr£te (Mr S. E. .McCarthy, S.M.i. | and the Statistician's staff. l'o r tho way in which they had conducted the ballot. Great credit was reflected upon all of'them for the care which they had taken to see that the operations wenconducted in :t fui r and impartial jnau-

ner. , Mr 31. J. Reardon arso expressed appreciation of the courtesy which had been extended to him as a spectator of tile ballot. He thanked the Statistician and the Magistrate for the "readiness with which they had adopted any suggestion made by the Mayor or himself with a view to the removal of anything which might savour cf loose methods. A very severe strain had been put tipon tho system and on the operating staff, and both had come through the trying ordeal with credit. The Statistician, in reply, said that in preparing for the ballot they had liad to bear two things in mind: (1) To work DUt a system of perfect fairness; and (2) to keep tho ordinary functions of the Register active during the period of preparation. He had particularly avoid«kJ the exercjso of any judicial Junction with ieferonce to registration cards in which there was an element of doubt. For instance, if a card showed a man to bo just 19 or just 46, he felt that it vos safer to leave it in the ballot, when the man could obtain exemption later, if necessary, rather than exereieo a judicial function in removing it. No be devised which would eliminate the possibility of human error, but if errors had been made it could at least bo said that they were purely accidental. Ho hoped that tho public would exercise patience in awaiting the publication of the list. Time was rot everything, and it was better that tliero should be the opportunity of thoroughly chocking the list rather than the danger of calling wrong men up. Mr McCarthy, speaking from the point of view of an official, said he felt that every effort had been made by all concerned to seo that tho ballot was drawn without foar or favour. PUBLICATION OF THE LIST.

It is liofc anticipated tliat the list will •*, re ready for gazetting for three or four ' days. The Statistician and the Magistrate wi]] first mako a careful check to see tha t the namus have been correctly ■ inscribed, bo that no Reservist maybp served with a notice in error. There Fill also bo a ehcck to see that no cards drawn have gone astray. Until the list has been checked thoro will be no publication nor service of notices.