MILITARY SERVICE ACT

Otago Witness, Issue 3258, 23 August 1916, Page 27 (Supplement)

MILITARY SERVICE ACT

FIRST DIVISION OF THE RESERVE. The proclamation for the enrolment of the Expeditionary Force Reserves, as provided by the Military Service Act, will be gazetted in about a week's time. The Hon. J. Allen (Minister of Defence) 6tated preparations for beginning enrolment

i wore practically completed. It is intended to enrol both divisions of the reserve without delay. If it be necessary to put the provisions of the Act into operation the First Division, consisting of all reservists who. on the passing of the Act, were unmarried men. or married men whose marriage took place subsequently to May 1. j. 915 (except such a<= have a child under 16 years of age by a previous marriage), or .vidowers with no children under 16 years

of age, or men whose marriage has been dissolved or who are judicially separated j from their wives, and who have no children ; under 16 years of age. wil] be called up I first. It is expected that the enrolment j will be well advanced in the first fortnight | of September. In the event of a shortage j of r« emits in any recruiting district, that i district will have to be prepared to accept | compulsory enlistment It is intended I however, to put into operation first the

special provisions for the calling up of members of a family which includes two or more brothers who belong to the First Division ' of the Reserve, and are not permanently j unfit for military service. It is likely that ! the first of the'Military Appeal Boards to be established under the Act will be_ a j board or boards to deal with such "family ' cases." The only way in which a recruiting district can expect to avoid compulsory enlist-

ment is to make certain of having recruit* available lor two or three reinforcement* ahead of immediate requirements. If thisis not done the authorities might experience an embarrassing shortage which woul<?' interfere with the excellent organisation io training each reinforcement within a gives, time. It would be foolish to leave matter* to chance, and risk a break down. Th» best safeguard is prompt voluntary enlistment.