The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-27
CO|VSCR|PT|0 IN
NEW ZEALAND
Government Resorts to Compul-
sion to Recruit Men for the
Trenches.
BY FRANCIS w. AHERN.
Australian Correspondent of Ameri-
can Union Against Militarism.

Australian Correspondent of Ameri-
can Union Against Militarism.
MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 25.
Joseph Liddell, student of
Shexton, District of Osborne, New
Zealand, is the name of the first con-
scripted New Northumberland Incl
dentally the first man actually con-
scripted by ballot in the British en-
pire. What a ''distinction.' Today
his name goes officially in the rec
ords as Marble No. 1856, Box 1919,
Military Division No. 10. A girl of
under 20 years of age, with no ap-
parent knowledge of the enormity of
the situation, drew the fatal marble
from the box, and evidently enjoyed
the task.
It was on Nov. 16 that the ballot
was drawn in New Zealand-in the
city of Wellington. A set of off,
cials conducted the ballot, which was
drawn by fifty girls, while repre-
sentatives of the various newspapers
We're present to witness the event
The cards used in the drawing OF
the ballot, were the Identical cards
that were used in the collection OF
the national census-which proves
that the opponents to the census
were right when they said that the
taking Of the> census was but the
prelude to conscription, fact that
was strenuously denied by the New
Zealand government. There were 1874
boxes, each holding 500 cards, so that
with the blanks there were about
$4,000 cards in the boxes. These
were divided into groups O. 10 by
in cards with raised numbers,
while ~t4,e-cards in ca l1--box were
numbered from 1 to 500. There were
two barrels, one containing consecu-
lively numbered 1914 marbles, corre-
spending to the number of boxes, and
the other containing 500 marbles also
consecutively numbered, correspond
ing to the number of cards in each
box. The marbles were checked by a
member of the judiciary before start.
ing, then locked in the barrels
The first barrel was then spun by
a girl, unlocked by the magistrate,
and the marbles were drawn one at
time by the government statistician
The boxes whose numbers corre-
sponded were taken from their draw
ers and placed on two rows of tables,
stretching from one end of the room
to the other, in the order. of which
the numbers were drawn. These
boxes were then checked, and the
fifty girls were then called upon to
do their task of selecting which
among the single men of New Zeal
and should be sent to the trenches
fO food tho Mo1ooh ~
The second barrel was now brought
into action. A female attendant spun
it, after which it was unlocked by
the judge present, and the statisti.
clan drew a marble. The number of
the first marble drawn was 1856. Com
| mencing with this as an index num-
Der, the government statistician
counted to the sixth card from the
index number, and this number was
!! turned up in the 1914 boxes, the ex-
posed portion of the card showing i1>
| large figures the number of the mill
| tary district which contained the
home of the man who had signed the
| card in the national census. Next,
the "winning" cards were lifted from
the boxes and placed on a tray ac-
cording to their respective districts
All blank cards were repalced in the
| boxes by the judge and blank was
also inserted in place of the "win-
! ming" card taken. And by this pro.
| cedure, Peter Liddell has the "honor"
| of being the first. real conscripted
soldier in the British empire And
with the singing of the national an
them, and few speeches, came the
f0 In h,,ro
lives in New Zealand.
After the cOnscript names were
drawn, the government was busy for
whole week checking the cards, cor
recting possible errors, and then the
names were officially gazetted, tele'
grams were sent to the winners"
and these kilograms were followed by
registered letters. And then the
cloud of gloom, like as. the shadow
of death, fell as a mantle over the
homes Of the New Zealand conscripts.
In every home anxiety ate like can
Ger into the lives Of the mothers and
wives, the sisters and sweethearts of
the youthful manhood of the coun-
try-for never have the women OF
New Zealand experienced such dark
hours. Four thousand names have
been selected, but the anxiety does
rot end here. The medical examipa-
ton has now to be entered upon, with,
which exemptions. will reduce the
number selected by at least two
thirds. So that, in their course more
ballots will have to follow to fill the
places Of those turned down at this
| stage. -
Among the men conscrinted were
several priests Of the Roman Cath
olic faith. a number Of anti-militar-
lists and Socialists---all of which mus
conscientious object to hearing
arms. Whether these conscienti tious
ss 4