A DEPLETED DEPARTMENT.

Northern Advocate, 12 November 1917, Page 1

A DEPLETED DEPARTMENT.

RAILWAY SERVICE HANDI-

CAPPED.

WELLINGTON, November 10,

The military call made upon the Railway Department is beginning to make itself seriously felt just now and the assistant manager, Mr R. W. McVilly, declares that a halt mast be called in the enlistment of railway servants. Altogether about 6000 men have now left the Department, to join the army, of this number some 1300 having been recruited since last Christmas under the ballot system. The loss of men had, in fact, become so great towards the end of last year that, in order to continue supplying reporvists to the army it became necessary to reduce the train services considerably. At the same time a Departmental ballot system was introduced to select the men drawn in the ordinary military ballot whom the Department could spare. The result of this process, says Mr McVilly is that the last Departmental ballot of First Division men is due to be taken in about a week, when something like 200 names will be drawn. This, he adds, not only exhausts the First Division men in the service, but completes the number who can be spared If the existing time-table is to be maintained. Straightout exemption will, therefore, be asked for the 200 railway men drawn in the recent Second Division ballot. He points out. further, that exhaustive investigation had been made by the Department to find the actual minimum of men required for the safe and satisfactory running of the railway service, and his statement could, therefore, be taken as a bedrock basis of the Department's requirements.