ENROLMENT OF RESERVES.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13664, 5 September 1916, Page 2

ENROLMENT OF RESERVES.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT. The chairman of the Recruiting Board (the Rt. Hon, W, F, Massey) lias issued the following explanatory statement in reference to the enrolment of the First and Second Reserves:— If is evident from the numerous inquiries that are reaching the office of the Recruiting; Board that a great number of men of military age are not at all clear as to' their position in connection with the enrolment of the Expeditionary Force Reserve under the Military Service Act. In particular, the importance of applying for n certificate of enrolment does not appear to be appreciated as it should be. The Act makes the National Register the basis of the Expeditionary Force Reserve, and only directs men who have not registered under the National Registration Act to forward an enrolment card, under the Military Service Act. to the Government Statistician. The point, however, lias been raised by many men who duly forwarded their personal schedule under the National Registration Act that they received no acknowledgment from the Government Statistician, and therefore have no guarantee that they are enrolled.

This has caused Recruiting Committees throughout the Dominion to publicly \ display the local rolls issued' in eon- -7 nec.tion with the Board's recruiting 1 scheme, so that men of military age may inspect them and ascertain of they are registered. But the Board wishes to emphasise the fact that the absence of a name does not necessarily mean -.that a man is not registered, and that the surest and best method to verify registration is for every man, wlie'ther°he belongs to the First Division or to the Second Division of the Reserve, to forward an application for a certificate of enrolment on the form that: is obtainable at any and every post office. If his personal schedule' failed to reach the Government Statistician, and his name does not appear on the National Register, he will be promptly-advised to that effect, and asked to 'fill in an enrolment card under the Military .Service Act. A man who sent in 1»%/ schedule, and now Unds that his name does not, appear on (he local roll for his district, should not forward another card until he is advised by the Government Statistician, on receipt of his application for a certificate of enrolment, that it is necessary to do so, otherwise there is always a danger that his naino may appear twice on the roll of the Reserve, and thus double his chance in the ballot.

It is necessary for men who forward an enrolment card to apply at the same time for a certificate of enrolment. Although the Act imposes no duly with respect to these certificates of' enrolment, if is absolutely imperative that each Keservisl, whether of the First or Second Division, should for his own protect ion have one always in his possession. This certificate is proof of enrolment, and is the only method by which an employer can be satisfied lliat the men of military age in his or her employ are enrolled in the Reserve.

On Iliis point every employer must be satisfied or risk the heavy penalties imposed by the' Act. The production of Ihe certificate will also satisfy any constable who accosts a man who may reasonably be supposed to be of military \h* age, the value of the certificate of eu- ( rolmcnt should therefore bo obvious,