MILITARY MATTERS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4534, 9 February 1942, Page 5

MILITARY MATTERS

THE RECENT BALLOTEES MEDICAL EXAMINATION STARTS FEBRUARY 16 Arrangements have now been completed for the Medical Board to examine ballotees called up in the last ballot on Monday, February 16, with sittings following at frequent intervals till all have been examined. A number of sittings in Te Awamutu will be necessary. A ninety per cent, pass was achieved when the first batch of married men, along with a few 18-year-olds also called in the last ballot, paraded before the Medical Board at Te Kuiti last week. The ballot was a Territorial one, and the fact that such a large proportion passed as either Grade I or ll—medically fit for overseas or territorial service respectfully, was very gratifying. APPEALS LODGED Out of the 1422 men drawn in the Hamilton military area in the latest ballot for Territorial service, 610 appeals have been lodged by or on behalf of reservists. This is not as high as the percentage of appeals in the earlier ballots. In the first ballot, affecting about 2000 men, there were nearly 1250 appeals and the same proportion applied in the second ballot. No arrangements have yet been made for hearing the latest appeals, as the men concerned are still being dealt with by the medical boards. THE NEXT BALLOT The span of years to be covered by any one group to be called for military service in future would be governed by military requirements at the time, said the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, on Saturday. Ordinary demands would mean fairly uniform groups, but circumstances might make it necessary to take in a wider field. The higher age groups would naturally contain more married men than the younger group previously announced as the first to be called for territorial service. THE HOME GUARD It is probable that the Home Guard will shortly be equipped with a distinguishing badge and a tab imprinted “Home Guard.” The latter will be similar to that bearing the title “New Zealand” which will have been noticed on the upper sleeves of uniforms of members of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. now in New Zealand after returning from service overseas. The design of the badge will probably incorporate the initial letters of the force, H.G., on an appropriate background. TRANSFER TO HOME GUARD “The transfer of men from the National Military Reserve to the Home Guard will be done by the Army authorities in conjunction with the manpower committees,” said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in an interview. That method, he added, was held to be the one likely to give the most satisfactory results. “The transfer will be a gradual process,” said Mr Jones. “The first men to return to civil life from the National Military Reserve will be those urgently required and essential for industry and commerce.