SECOND DIVISION MEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9824, 22 November 1917, Page 5

SECOND DIVISION MEN

THEIR CALL TO CAMP TWELVE WEEKS’ GRACE AFTER EXAMINATION. Interviewed by a “Times” representative yesterday with regard to tho question asked by a correspondent, as to how it came about that a Second Division reservist enlisting was ordered into camp on January Bth, when it bad been stated in Parliament by Sir James Allen (Defence Minister) and Sir Francis Bell (Leader of tho Upper House) that tho Second Division would not be called into camp until tho fit men of tho First Division had been dealt with, tho secretary to the Recruiting Board said that there must be some mistake about tho matter. Perhaps the Second Division man referred to had said that ho was willing to go in earlier than March sth, or perhaps ho had not clearly explained that ho was a Second Division man. If tho latter was the case, the man had only to make tho fact known to tho authorities, and his leave, would bo extended till March sth.

“I am convinced that there must be some mistake about it,” added the secretary, “and I will bo glad to have the particulars of tho case and make inquiries, if necessary. The Second Division men who volunteer are m exactly tho same position as the Second Division men who are called up m the ballot. The instructions issued by the Defence Department to all group officers aro that ’-Men of classes A and B of the Second Division of the Reserve may be accepted as voluntary recruits, with tho privilege of enlisting for the purpose of proceeding to camp in accordance with the table sot out below. Tho policy of the department is that a Second Division reservist, both voluntary and rooruit, to have at least twelve clear weeks in which to arrange his private affairs between tho date of his medical examination and tho date of his concentration for tho purpose of proceeding to camp. The table of dates referred to shows that tho volunteers or balloted men of the Second Division medically examined up till December Bth will go into camp on, March sth, 1918, and so on for those medically examined during each month of the year. They will go into camp in each case not less than twelve weeks after their medical examination.”