COMPULSORY SERVICE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 268, 28 October 1916, Page 4

COMPULSORY SERVICE.

FIRST BALLOT O?f 11th

NOVEMBER-

TO MAKE GOOD SHORTAGE IN 24th REINFORCEMENTS

Wellington, Oct. 28. The Chairman of the Recruiting Board, Wellington, telegraphed the following information for publication to-day:— As it is not nossible, owinu to the machinery preparations being rtill incomplete, to take a ballot at the present time, it has been decided to rely on voluntary recruiting to pro vide men to meet the requirements for the 23rd Reinforcement, which includes all shortages for the previous drafts. The quota for each recruiting district has now been based on the estimate prepared by the Government statistician of the men remaining in the First Division of the Reserve, and the Districts Stans of the Defence Department, with the assistance of local committees, have been asked to find the men required! by the 11th of November, when the 23rd Reinforcement is due to mobo-lis-for training. The Recruiting Board has been advised that the Government Statistician will then be in a position to take a ballot under the Military Service Act, and in view of that information it has decided, and Cabinet has approved, that voluntary enlistment for the 24th draft is to sease on the 11th of November and a ballot is to be taken in the ensuing week to make good any shortage in reinforcements then existing. . . „ . This means that recruiting for the 24th Reinforcement will close a month before the draft goes into camp, so as to allow time for a ballot to be taken and appeals to be lodged and heard and the full strength o£ the Reinforcement completed before mobilisation.

Voluntary enlistments will then be accepted for the 25th and 26th Reinforcements until the 9th of December, when voluntary enlistment for the 25th Reinforcements will cease, and a ballot wiU be taken to make good any shortage. It must be understood however that if a man who volunteers while the ballot is in progress is called up to make good a shortage, his voluntary enlistment will be cancelled and he will thereupon be under the orders of the Defence authorities as a soldier of the Expeditionary Force. This system will continue for all subsequent reinforcements. Voluntary recruiting for each draft will cease one month before the draft is due to go into camp for training, in. order to allow time for any shortage to be made good by means of a ballot.