MANPOWER AND APPEALS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23797, 17 November 1942, Page 4

MANPOWER AND APPEALS

CONFERENCE OF R.S.A. BRANCHES DECISION OF CHRISTCHURCH ASSOCIATION A conference of branches and subbranches of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association to discuss the subjects of manpower and armed forces appeal boards will bo held in Christchurch on November 27. The executive of the Chrislchurcn Returned Services’ Association decided to call the conference last evening after it hid received a deputation from the Kaiapoi Returned Services’ Association, which claimed that in many cases heard by appeal boards in the district the whole of the evidence had not been placed ' ■ the boards. The deputation, which consisted of the president (Mr W. H. Stark) and the secretary (Mr G. Hirst) suggested that a North Canterb’, appeal board should be set up to go into these matters, or that various branches of the Returned Services’ Association should be allowed to make recommendations conndentially to appeal boards. The deputation agreed to send the cases to Dominion headc,..arters of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association for action. “This question has given our association and the public in Kaiapoi some concern.” said Mr Stark, “and we feei that the manpower position is not being handled as it should be. Wo consider some representation of local knowledge should be called, for we know of some cases that have not been exactly as represented. Tne position in the country is not the same as in the city, and we can quote cases which, in our opinion, are definitely wrong.

“We do object to men of military age, whether they are fit or unfit, telling another man what he is going to do,’’ added Mr Stark. “Also, we object to men with several children being drafted into camp, and single men being allowed their liberty on what we call phoney appeals. In Kaiapoi there are two industries which are essential, and we see people leaving other jobs and going there and getting work for a few months or weeks. Another man who does not go there docs not get the protection of an essential industry.” Resolution of Protest Mr Hirst said his association had passed a resolution protesting against married men with families being sent overseas before all single men and married men without children, mobilised or to be mobilised, had left the Dominion. The association had also expressed the view that too many fit men in civil life were escaping military service while married men with families were made to serve. Also, the association felt that no person of military age not serving in the forces should have authority to dictate to men or women when or how they should serve. This resolution had been endorsed by the Waipawa, Kangiora, Kaikoura. Belfast, and Lyttelton branches.

“We feel that these anomalies should not be in existence in the good working of our military machine,” said Mr Hirst. “When a man goes into camp leaving his family behind, his heart is not in his job, more particularly if he sees left behind men whose cases he knows honestly should be dealt with before his. We suggest that rather than that appeals be heard by men who. are strangers, assistance should be sought from the district in which cases are heard.”

Local Knowledge Mr Stark said that if local knowledge, was brought to bear things would be very different, and the public would be satisfied. His association was not criticising the rulings of the appeal boards on the evidence put before them, but in many cases the boards did not have the evidence tvhich should be in their possession. Also, local knowedge was not invited.

Mr D. W. Russell said that if any new evidence could be brought in a case which might cause an appeal board to alter its decision, there were grounds for a rehearing. The appeal boards were attempting to do their work in a proper manner, and their decisions depended on the evidence put before them.

Mr S. Orchard said there should be a combing out from the so-called sheltered industries of single men whose jobs could be done by married men with three or four children.

Mr J. K. Moloney; We would get two brigades if we did that, and save the country hundreds of thousands of pounds.

In reply to questions, Mr Stark said his association would be prepared to act in making representations to appeal boards if the information was passed on in strict confidence.