THE SECOND DIVISION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17163, 16 November 1917, Page 3

THE SECOND DIVISION

NEW ZEALAND'S OLEAR DUTY.

EFFORTS MUST NOT SLACKEN.

The necessity, for the maintenance of New Zealand's full quota of reinforcements was Again emphasised by the Minister of Defence, Allen, at Auckland on Saturday. His remarks were based upon the Russian situation, in the first instance. Commenting thereon,' Sir James ,eaid: "The thing a Britisher always prides himeelf upon is that, when he is up against a difficult situation he sets his teetn and faces it. From the Allies' point of view, the turn of events in Russia is bad luck, but we can only hope that the luck will turn. We have to hope on, and to hang on, and win, and we can Win, in my opinion. This is really the test of .the nation. "So far aa the dominion is oanoerned, we must not slacken. in our efforts , to keep up the necessary iSeinforoemente in order to maintain our division at its full strength. We "cannot quit; we have to eee it throogh." - The Minister said there was so truth whatever in the rumour that it was intended to stop calling tip the men of the Second Division when Class B—men with one ohild—had been exhausted. The whole of the Second Division, would, if necessary, bo called up by ballot in turn in the usual way. A statement in tircolatian-, attributed to e. member of the, Government, to the effect thai the war is unliWy to end before orery man of military age was called up, was referred to Sir James. In comment ho remarked: "It is a very bold man who will state that the war will not end before every Second Division man in New Zealand has taken rap arms, I have every hope that it will end before then. As regards the suggestion reported to have been made by the same member of the Government, that the. military age w3l be extended to 55 or 60, as far as I know, we would have to be in b. most desperate position before we- raised the ego limit over 45, as at present. We are ; not ajnding any men over 45 out of the; dominion now because we find they cannot stand the winter in the trenches. In my opinion, the Second Division, wifchtho pro-,, sent ago limit, will last ue well into 1919, so far as tho eajl into camp is concerned taking into consideration the accretions al-'; waya coming in of First Division mem at-< taining military age. I cannot give definite!" figures now, but Class A men will not al} be in camp ontil next May/ , ■ '% MEDI&AL EXAMINATION. J Balloted inen of tho Second Divjsiop'ere to foe called up for medical'exarainJlt'ion in tb.o alphabetical order.in which their names nppoar in the Gazette.' This arrangement will prevent any unfairness, and will assist the men to discover when they are likely to be oallod.'' Tho inefcrootkm given to group commanders is that they are not, to call up more than 40 balloted men per day for examination by a district medical board, so that there need be no congestion., Volunteers wiQ be examined with the; least possible delay gp all eoeaeuw, , ■ '