NATIONAL REGISTER.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14744, 25 October 1915, Page 6

NATIONAL REGISTER.

DETAILS OF ARRANGEMENTS. THE DISTRIBUTION OF FORMS BEGUN. An official statement with regard to the arrangements for the taking of the 'National Register was issued on Friday through the office of the PostmasterGeneral (Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward). Some of the information given has been published already, but the officie.l statement will be of value to the men who are about to receive registration forms. The document roads as follows: “Personal schedules in connection with the National War Register for completion by male residents of the' Dominion between the ages of seventeen and sixty years are now being distributed by the Postal Department. Schedules will he iu the hands of every postmaster before the 26th inst., on which date the taking of the Register will commence. Exhibition of a palter announcing the Governor - Proclamation will be simultaneous at every Pest Office and at various other points on the morning of October 26th. and the distribution of schedules will then commence. “In the town schedules will ho delivered to every residence hy letter-carriers and called for on completion. At smaller places, where letter-carriers are not employed, schedules will he handed to eligible per-mts by postmasters on demand. Provision has been made hy the Department for supplying schedules to persons holding private mail-hags and to those resident on rural postal deliveries. Special steps are being taken in connection with registration of crews of coastal and intercolonial vessels, “Schedules are not required to lie Idled in hy full-blooded Maoris or half-caste Maoris living as Maoris, but lialf-ra-te Maoris living as Europeans are required to register. The organisation of the Posl Office is being used as far as possible to reach every eligible person in the Dominion, but tlie responsibility for obtaining the schedule rests upon the individual. “Failure to return the completed schedule to the Government Statistician. Wellington, or to an officer of the Postal Department by November 9th will render eligible persons liable to a maximum penalty of £IOO or six months’ imprison-, ment." The ouestions on the registration forms have been drafted with a view to drawing direct answers in the affirmative or the negative. Men who fill in the forms are expected to give a plain “Yes” or “No.” and are not rooHired or desired to enter into detailed explanations except in the case of question 9, which rotates to dependents. The forms make provision iu that ease tor explanatory remarks. If a man is willing to serve, or if ho i.s not willing to do so. lie has simvdv'to sav “Yes” or “No.” as the ease mnv he. and Ito will onlv increase the label’! s of the e'erieal staff if he trios to give reasons. The Defence authorities want facts, not arguments.