To Medical Rejects.

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13581, 21 December 1916, Page 5

To Medical Rejects.

DEFENCE MINISTER'S APPEAL.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Last Night.

Au important statement dealing with the recruiting of men for the Expeditionary Reinforcements was made to-day by the Minister for Defence. It refers particularly to men who have already enlisted for service but have been rejected owing to medical unfitness. "The Defence Department would be glad," said the .Minister, "if men in the First Division who have in the past volunteered for the Expeditionary Forces and |vho have been passed as medically unfit, would volunteer for service again. All who so volunteer will have to attest. They will be examined by the Medical Board, and if passed by this Board as medically unfit, their names will not be included in the ballot but will be placed on the reserve list. Some of these men will be invited to volunteer for home service in training camps. If they could satisfactorily take up the work which is now being done by some of the staff in the campsthe latter might thus be let away for service. Those who are passed by the Medical Board as fit for service would be invited to join one or other of the next two Reinforcements. It has been found necessary to adopt this practice in order to relieve the. first division of reserve of a considerable number of the names of those who are medically unfit and who have previously volunteered. It has also become specially necessary becanse of the fact that in some districts the volunteer principle has prevailed entirely, and in others varying numbers have had to be balloted for. This invitation to the men who have already enlisted but have not been accepted on account of medical unfitness is offered to No. 1 group first," added Mr Allen. "The idea is to extend the principle as the Department is in a position to do so. I hope that all recruiting committees and patriotic societies in No. 1 Group will assist to the best of their ability in inducing these men to come forward and enlist at once."