DELAY OF THE BALLOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16374, 31 October 1916, Page 5

DELAY OF THE BALLOT.

Sir,—-I would be fully in accord with Mr. Massi-y'g statement that "It would be a matter of the deepest satisfaction if tho future historian could record that New Zealand had maintained her army by tho voluntary system throughout the great struggle," if every able-bodied New Zealander willing and anxious to go, v and was only waiting his turn. As it is, voluntary enlistment reflects credit only on the men who enlist (and perhaps their near relatives in most cases) j certainly not on the Government, which has definitely stated it will not start balloting for recruits till it is compelled to. The acceptance of the best from a nation's manhood to Dght the country's battles, and the deliberate exclusion of those who have no excuse for letting other men fight for them is obviously an unstatesmanlike policy, from whatever point of'view it is regarded, and only to be justified in the early stages of a war. Nothing pointed to the war being a short one, yet the Government has apparently hoped against hope that volunteering would meet the case, and for a considerable time has only sue-1 ceeded in getting the requisite-numbers by j resorting u> moral suasion, cajolery, and . to pressure brought to bear by employers. This is not spontaneous volunteering, but semi-compulsion, and it is probably only the trouble involved, and the unpopularity of straight out conscription, in certain quarters, that makes, the Government postpone what it evidently regards as tho evil ay. In conclusion,'! would again point out that the reinforcement drafts from the beginning to the end of the war would all have been of uniform qrality had balloting been instituted as soon as possible after the war started; and further, tho interests of the future of the race would have been better conserved had this coursebeen adopted. Waitee SEAvni. Waingaro.