NATIONAL REGISTRATION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XL, Issue 11407, 26 October 1915, Page 4

NATIONAL REGISTRATION.

Under the National Registration Act passed during the session just ended, every male resident in the Dominion is required* to furnish to the Government Statistician at Wellington, a personal schedule setting out full particulars as to his age, nationality, occupation, dependents etc., also stating whether he is willing to become a member of an Expeditionary Force in connection'with the present war, or not. In the case of single men without dependents, this must be answered yea or hay, but for single men with, dependents, married men and widowers with dependents, the questiqn is qualified with the words *‘if required.” By notice in our advertising columns, the schedules which are obtainable at any post office in the Dominion, must be furnished not later than Tuesday, 9th November. The schedule, on being completed, is to be placed . in the addressed envelope provided, and handed to an officer of the Post and Telegraph Department, or posted direct to the Government Statistician at Wellington. The particulars are strictly confidential under the Act and an addressed envelope is provided in each case to ensure its being observed.

The Act imposes penalties up to £IOO or imprisonment up to six months on any person who fails to furnish the particxilars required, or who makes a false statement. It should also be noted that the obligation to register is a personal one, and the fact that a form has not been addressed to or received by aiiy person does not absolve him from responsibility to register. Any person who refuses, fails or neglects to register will be prosecuted. For the convenience of the public the offices of Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages, in the four chief centres will be open continuously from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the registration period (26th October to 9th November, 1915), for the purpose of affording assistance in the filling up of the schedules to any persons desiring it. It has also been arranged that postal officers at post offices throughout the Dominion during ordinary office hours, will also on application help any persons desirous of assisting in filling up. the schedules.

The object of the registration is to ascertain the resources of the Dominion in men. The register to be compiled is purely a civil register and the furnishing of the schedule required under the Act does not involve enlistment, nor is it in substitution for th.e present system of enlistment.