SECOND BALLOT

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 100, 24 October 1940, Page 13

SECOND BALLOT

COMPLETED TODAY

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

SPEEDIER METHODS

Although it was originally estimated that the drawing of the second national service ballot now in progress would not be completed until midday on Saturday, the work has been so speeded up by the use of a night staff for checking purposes, the introduction of faster methods indicated by the drawing of the first ballot, and the! willingness of the staff to work ex-j tended hours, that the last of the 34,000 j names was drawn about 2.30 o^clock, this afternoon. This means that 34,000! names have been drawn in three and j a half days compared with three days j occupied in drawing 16,000 names for i the first ballot. j Completion of the draw in the Wellington area yesterday morning finished the North Island, and when, drawing - ceased last night the Dunedin and Nelson areas had also been dealt with. Today has been occupied with drawing 5800 names from the Christchurch area and 1000 from the Invercargill area. The staff of the National Service Department are to be commended on their willingness to work the considerably extended hours required to maintain the rate of progress with this ballot. They have been asked to work overtime every day since the Department was established and did not demur at the still further extended calls made on their time and energies for the present ballot. The day staff has worked up till 10 o'clock each night since drawing commenced on Monday. The night staff, engaged in checking, lias come on at 10.30 o'clock each night and worked through to 6.30 a.m. The special issue of the Gazette containing the names drawn in the ballot wiil be issued on - the evening of November 6. OVERSEAS BALLOT. .No date has yet been fixed for commencing the first overseas ballot (for the 6th Reinforcements), but it will be .held towards the end of November.