FAILED TO REPORT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17587, 18 September 1917, Page 4

FAILED TO REPORT.

BALLOT DEFAULTERS. [Fnoir Our Correspondent,] WELLINGTON, September 17. Elaborate details regarding tho numbers of men drawn in the first nine ballots and how they wore disposed of were placed before tho House by the Minister of Defence to-night. Chief interest lay in 3121 men who had rot been located since they were drawn in tho ballot. Asked if tho names were given, tho Minister said lie hoped to place a list in tho hands of every member of Parliament, and ask him to do his duty, and find these men. (Hear, hear.) Altogether, uoOo cases were referred to the Director of Personal Services for inquiry; 24-51 were found and referred back to the Director of Recruiting; 2705 cases still were under investigation. There were men they had not been able to discover.

Mr Hornsby: The hard cases. Sir James Allen: These are the onos wo want help to discover. Mr Anderson: Confiscate their property and you’ll soon find them. Members: They haven’t any. The Minister went on to state that COC> warrants had been issued. One hundred and ninety-threo men had heen arrested, 64 warrants had'been withdrawn and 349 wore outstanding. Of the 5505 eases referred to, 339 were now in the expeditionary forces, 585 had been sent to camp. 747 were medically unfit, 8 left with other than New Zealand forces, 11 were seafarers abroad, 19S had left New Zealand as civilians, 15 were in hospital l , 13 were in prison, 32 wero dead, 43 had been exempted by Military Service Boards, 460 had been located and 2705 still were under investigation. General details of the 49,558 men drawn in the first nino ballots were:— IJnder orders (or camp or in camp 12,239 Av.aiting disposal .... 29,689 Not located and temporarily unavailable ....... 3,G93 Permanently unfit .... 3,931