THE CALL TO CAMP,

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16763, 1 February 1918, Page 5

THE CALL TO CAMP,

POSITION OF MARRIED MEN, NONE NEEDED BEFORE APRIL., [BY TISLEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. Now that the A men of the Second Division are called up, the B men are naturally anxious to know when they are likely to be required. No definite information can bo given to them, but the Minister for Defence, Sir Jame3 Allen, will make a statement on the subject in the course of a day or two.

The policy of the Defence Department and of the Minister regarding this and similar questions has been to keep silence rather than to tell the Second Division men that they would not be needed by any particular date, while there remained a possibility that this dato might have to be advanced. In the statement that the Minister will make he will almost, certainly follow the same conservative rule, and mention a dafe which cannot be advanced, and which may be postponed. On the figures revealed it would appear that Sir James may say that the B men should be prepared to go into canm in August, but it is understood that there is more than a possibility that they may not be called into camp for a month or two later than that. The arrangement to postpone the calling to camp of married men involves no discrimination between First and Second Division men. The position is that there are in hand married men of both the First and Second Division. None of these will be called up before April. Thoy may not all be required then. This will depend upon the number of vacancies to be filled. If they are not all needed, First Division men will be drawn upon before the Second Division men.

The men affected include such Second Division men as volunteered for service since October 29 last, and were under orders, to go into camp before April, and a good number of married men who, by date of marriage, are technically First Division men. When it was found desirable to reduce the number mobilising the Department decided it would be best to cut out married men as a whole. This provided a very simple method of selection. Provision is made for those to go into camp who would be under hardship through postponement.