MEN DRAWN IN BALLOTS

Southland Times, Issue 24437, 17 May 1941, Page 8

MEN DRAWN IN BALLOTS

Progress Of Medical

Examinations

With the exception of the men in the seventh ballot, published last week, practically all balloted men in No. 12 Area (Invercargill) have now been medically examined. The work was completed this week when medical boards sat for three days in Invercargill. On Wednesday 55 men from various districts in Southland were examined, and 95 per cent, were passed as fit. This is an unusually high percentage. On the other two days the percentage of men graded as fit was about the average, that is, 50 per cent. The examination of men in the seventh ballot (for overseas service) will begin in Invercargill on May 26. It is estimated that there are about 1000 men from Area 12 in this ballot to be examined. Men in this ballot who have already been examined for territorial service and passed as fit will not be re-examined.

Medical examinations involve a great deal of work for the records staff of the Army Department. The Army Office in Invercargill is short handed and the staff would not have been able to cope expeditiously with the extra work occasioned by the medical examinations had it not received assistance from women typists employed in various Government departments in the city. On Wednesday night 18 typists worked for twi hours and on Thursday night 25 worked for a similar period. This voluntary effort, which is greatly appreciated by the Army Department, served to bring the files up to date.