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In July 1940 it was decided that conscription would be introduced and on 24 September the first men were balloted. Here Robert Semple, minister of national service, draws the first marble in the ballot in Wellington. Minister of Defence Frederick Jones (second from left) was also present. 16,000 names were drawn, from which 6,000 were called into service.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)
Reference: PAColl-7796-58
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.