MILITARY SERVICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17264, 4 September 1916, Page 8

MILITARY SERVICE.

ENROLMENT OF RESERVE.

APPLICATIONS IN CITY

WORK INTERFERES WITH POST

OFFICE BUSINESS

The proclamation of the second division (married men) of- the Expeditionary Force Reserve was made on Saturday. A fortnight is given to complete the enrolment.

Applications for enrolment certificates on the reserve and business connected therewith was very brisk again in the city on Saturday. About iWOO applications were received on Friday, and on Saturday morning a steady stream of applicants filed in to fill in the forms.

The majority of the applications are for certificates, but a surprisingly large number are notifying change of address. Very few who have not registered under the National Registration Act have come forward.

There is one striking thing about the business as tai as Christcburcb is concorned, and that is the interference it is causing in the business of the post office. One has only to stand for a few .minutes in the post office to realise this. Post .office business and the enrolling are both proceeding in the one room, which formerly was hardly'big enough for post office patrons. Now, with the crowds of men enrolling,' there is not elbow room. Every inch of space on the desks is being used and the clerks are working at high .pressure. The room is quite unsuitable for the business and the enrolling should have been done in a separate part of the building.

From the clerks' point of view the work is tremendous. There has been ino addition to the post office staff, and of the three.ladies conducting ~ the counter business one has taken up the enrolling. She was brought back to work on Friday night; and on Saturday afternoon, when she should bo in receipt of a half-holiday, she had been brought back again. ASHBURTON. At the Ashburton Post Office on Friday 150 applications were made for cer-M tificates of enrolment, but that number was considerably increased on Saturday. ' . a