BALLOT MEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12081, 9 August 1917, Page 6

BALLOT MEN.

t7 PER CENT PASSED AS FIT. Spprial reference is made to tho medical examination of men drawn m tho ballot in tho Defence Department's annual report presented to Parliament. Tho report states:-" Tho result* of the medical examinations of the men called up prove that up to and including the fourth ballot approximately 4.< per cent were passed as fit. for foreign service. Of those classed fit for foreign service a considerable number were" appellants whose appeals were either allowed or adjourned. As far as the adjourned cusps arc concerned, the services or those men should bo available, before the Second Division is called tin. Ft having become necessary to discharge many men from .camp niter a short period of training, it became obvious that the standard of medical examination was not sufficiently high. A conference of the members of the .Medical Boards was hold at theJ end of March, and it was decided' to raise the standard of fitness requiredThe result was t,hat in the first ballotunder the new standard tho proportion of men passed as fit fell considerably ; of these many were appellants, and this ballot, necessarily produced considerably fewer men than any of those proceding it. To meet the situation thus created thp sixth ballot was drawn to a proportion of four to one instead of three, to one. and the proportion was eventuaJly raised to fivia to one in tho seventh ballot.