ORDER OF CALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17100, 24 February 1916, Page 6

ORDER OF CALL.

RECRUITING BOARD’S SCHEME. HOW THE TIME OF SUMMONS MAY BE CALCULATED. (Specially Written for the “ Lyttelton Times.”) The Recruiting Board has announced ! the order in which men who do not en- i list for a specific draft are to be called up for military seivice. The men are to be regarded as in two classes—A and B. The Category A men are those who will register for a definite draft, and all the others will be listed in Category B. The men in the B class are to be called up in this order:— First —Single men without depend- ' onts. Second —Single men with dependents and married men without children. Third—Married men with two or less children. Fourth —Widowers with children. \ Fifth—Married men with more than two children. As a very considerable number of the men will have to be obtained under what the board calls Category B, the announcement is highly important, particularly to married men™ The possibility of men with family nesponsibilties having to take a share of the fighting must be realised by everyone. Seemingly, it has been realised by theGovernment and the Defence Department, who have built two big ‘ * permanent ” camps that are intended to last more than a day. This article is intended to Indicate where every class of eligible men stands in relation to their obligation to go to the front. The statistics used are compiled from official figures. The total number of men of military age in New Zealand is 248,000. One > hundred and thirty thousand are single, and 118,000 are husbands, widowers and divorced men. Our chief numerical strength in fighting men lies in the men between the ages of twentyone and thirty years. That group takes in 42 per cent of our total man-power, and 60 per cent of our eligible single men. The following table, which is compiled by age-groups, makes ■ that fact clear: —

There are at least 20,000 married men in New Zealand who Lave no children, and as many more with only one child: Another 20,000 have only two children. In round figures, the conjugal condition of the married men of the country may be set down thus:—

The gross strength obtainable by calling up the,men according (approximately) to the various stages mapped out by the board is shown from stage to stage in the following table:— 1. Single men without dependents . 110,000 2. Single men with dependents and. married men without children . 40,000 3. Married men’ with one and two children 42,000 4. Married men with three and four children ...... 23,000 It is hardly likely that the Government will need to go beyond the calling up of men who have four children. Of the 215,000 men accounted for in the above four divisions, some aie at the front, some are ’in the training cnrr<p3 and some are unfit. Deductions must be made:— Total in question . . . 215,000 Gone to front • • ■ . 34,000 Left in New Zealand . . 181,000 Now in ’ training ... 12,000 Remaining in mufti ... • 169,000 Twenty per cent allowance for unfitness ... 43,100 Net total still available . . 125,900 The married men who have been called up equal jibout lo per cent of the t0ta1"46,000 men who have donned the uniform, so that the Single men with dependents and the single men without dependents-equal So per cent, sav 80 per cent of whom are without dependents. Then there is the allround unfitness of 20 per cent to allow fori These considerations entail the revision of the table as follows: —

215.000 46,000 43,100 125,000

The number of men required every fofir weeks is 2350, which means 30,550 a year. 'At that rate These 125,000 fit men will last until June, 1920.

The fit single men without, dependents will last till October, 1917. With these figures as guide, it is not difficult to arrive at about the time when each class may expect their call if the war is prolonged. Men may expect their turn thus : Single men without dependents . . • Until Oct., 1917. Single men with dependents and married men without children . From Oct., 1917,. Married men with one _ - and two chcildren . From Sept., 191 S. Married men with three . and four children . From Nov., 1919. It is worth bearing . in miiid, too. that the men take about six months to get to the front—four months in training in New Zealand, and 1 two months en route.

Age Group. Single. Husbands, etc. Totals. 20 to 21 . 9.630 160 9.790 21 to 23 .. 40,300 4,640 44.940 25 to 30 . 38,390 22,450 60.S40 30 to 35 . 21.730 33,450 55,180 35 to 10 . 12,300 30.800 43,100 40 to 45 • 7,650 26,500 ' 34,160 Totals . 130,000 118,000 348,000

Children. Men. None , i « , 20,000 One , . . 22,000 Tvro , , • • - 20,000 Three . ■ * . 14,000 Four . » . 9,000

Gross. Called up. Unfit. Net. 110,000 '36,000 22,000 51,200 40,000 6,800 8,000 25,100 42.000 1,360 8,500 32,120 23,000 » 920 4.600 17,480