THE SECOND DIVISION.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13935, 18 July 1917, Page 3

THE SECOND DIVISION.

question of its calling up. MATTER OF MEDICAL : EXAMINATION. INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE, ' Per Press Association. : WELLINGTON, July' Hi. The executive of the Second Division League to-night interviewed the Minister of Defence, and, by arr.iujfetnei.t with the Minister, there were also present Major-General Robin, SurgeonGeneral'Henderson, and Colonel Tate, iThe object of the meeting was to discuss the proposals and requests already made to the Minister by the league. < The Minister, in introducing the

subject matter of the deputation, fcaid ? he understood the principal request wai wtUat men in the Second Division should **be medically examined before they were

called up by ballot. Presently the 'rolls would be complete and every man in the Second Division would be able to know with some degree of accuracy when.lie was likely to be called up to go to camp. There were two other methods I 'by'which men might k:.ow how they -stood. Most men Vrcnv whether'they -were fit or not. If this was not known they had the opportunity of going to a private medical practitioner, who could give them a fair

idea whether 'they were likelv to be accepted for military service. The Minister said a special medical board wa3 engaged'examining the nielical history Of the 25,000 men previously rejected as -'unfit. Some of these men

would Be required to again submit themselves for medical examination, He hoped a considerable number of them would be found fit for so/vice. Surgeon-General Henderson said the military medical department wishi,;! to meet the Second Division Lni/u? in the best way it could . The .iift'iculfv was that there were not enough medical men. available to do the work which would be involved. In reply -tc a question, Surgeon-General Hcndciso'i was informed that the desire wa,: to have men examined class by da;:'— every'class to be examined a month before the ballot. Surgeon : Genoral Henderson: If'that is what you ask we may be able to met you. It depends on tl(e : >BnfM;: Medical Association;-If it can'let me have twfrnt'y men-to ! act -on : "medical boards 'to mariA'geit!''-' Sir James Allen: The Adjutant l General'says an examination before the ballot will make difficulties, and he ■suggests we should take the ballot a month earlier and have the medical ex-1 amination after.

Mr Armstrong said this would not meet the case from the point of view of the Second Division, because if the ballot were taken a man could be taken into camp any time afterwards. The Minister said the Government would not use the power of the Act to call up the Second Division men before the First Division were all taken. Surgeon-General Henderson said that all possible was being done to postpone the calling up of the Second Division.

Colonel Tate said that from the point of view of his department there were difficulties in the way of examining men before they were balloted. One of the chief difficulties would be in keeping a record of the men medically examined t in order that these men might be identified when they were afterwards drawn in the ballot, He believed the Second Division ■ League could get what it wanted in another way if' Sujgcon-Gcneral 'Henderson could get medical men for the extra boards to do the medical examination. He had no doubt that the only practical way in which it could be arranged was by advancing the ballot—calling men up by ballot and examining them after. The position of Second Division men could be very-easily and completely safeguarded. A man drawn in the ballot and declared medically fit after examination was given a- leave pass until the date fixed for the assembling of the draft to which, he was to belong. He had the right to lodge an appeal, and the Military Service Board had the right to determine when he should go to eanip. There 'were two ways in; 1 which the position of the

Second Division men might be safeguarded—one by making out their leave pass for a definite period ahead, and the other ljy treating, every Second Division man's ease as a case on appeal. Supposing it should fall out that in the ordinary course the first ballot for Second Division men came in December, under his proposal the ballot would be taken in October or November. This would give.every man a month at least extra notice, and the procedure wis

just as safe as if lib was examined first and balloted, afterward?.' Mr Armstrong said he had received a letter from the British' Medical Association to the effect that that body was willing and anxious to assist the military authorities to carry out the medical examinations, and anxious to help the Second Division men. Ife was sure the Defence authorities would be able to overcome the difficulties.. It would be a bad thing for industry if Second Division men were hurried away. The league was an organisation out, to Assist the Government in carrying out New Zealand's'part in the war. It suggested that their objections to the present, system coulil tie got over by taking the ballot earlier than >vouhl otherwise be necessary. His objection was that if it should happen, that there was shortage in s the reinforcements the Government would have up the men already .the; shortage, kit Tola sjn jfcjbjne;, of;

culty about the examinaticn cf the men. Surgeon-General, Henderson: Provided we arc allowed-to call men up in relays. Mr Armstrong said the proportion- ofuniit men was a large majority of the total, ami the uncertainty which was so bad for • the c'oinmunity affected a very large number of men. The deputation would be glad Io have a definite assurance that steps would be taken to give effect to its wishes.

Sir James Allen: 1 am afraid I cannot give that,, but the staff has heard what you say. and will consider the whole probleiji and meet your wishes as fan as possible I am anxious to meet your wishes if it is at all pos-. siblc. The Minister said lie would ask the staff to thrash out the medical inspection question and let him know the resttU in a few days. Another member of the deputation asked whether it- could, be made permissible for members of the Second Division to volunteer ahbad ov their own classes.

The Minister appeared to consider the proposal a reasonable one, and promised that it would have consideration.