TRANSPORT NEEDS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 37, 13 February 1943, Page 6

TRANSPORT NEEDS

APPEALS FOR DRIVERS

In appealing for the release from military duty of four former drivers of the company, Mr. J. M. Simson, manager of the New Zealand Express Company (Auckland), Limited, stated that the transport industry in New Zealand must rank higher in importance that the jobs the company's men were engaged on in the army. The appeal was heard before the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday. Mr. Simson said that in the case of one reservist, D. Porthous, whom the army transport shipping officer stated had been specially trained for work connected with shipping, and was a reliable man, he had seen the man for long periods seated in a stationary car doing nothing, and seemed nothing more than an officers' chauffeur. The board adjourned the appeal so that the unit commander, together with the reservist, would be subpoenaed to give evidence on oath as to the extra nature of Porthous' work, in the army. The army opposed the release of two of the other three drivers, as they were transport sergeants at divisional headquarters, and as the army in both cases was most emphatic about the. importance of these men, the board made no recommendation for their release. There was no opposition to the release of the fourth man.