APPEALS FOR 62 MEN

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23812, 4 December 1942, Page 6

APPEALS FOR 62 MEN

FIRE SERVICE MEMBERS

Sixty-two appeals supported by the District Fire Controller (Mr A. Morrison)' came before the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday. Mr E. A, Lee presided, and with him were Messrs G. M. Hall and J. E. Jones. Forty of the men appealed for (all members of the E.F.S.) were grade 1 men. Mr Morrison appeared in support of the appeals in the afternoon, after some of the cases had been heard on the merits of evidence put forward by employers who likewise appealed on the ground of the public interest.

Mr Morrison said that the total authorised strength of the service in the city and surrounding areas was 450, but it was 85 men short at present (63 short in the city, and 46 short in Lyttelton). It was still open to enrolments. Too many men of lower grades than grade I were undesirable he said, in view of the nature of tlve work. Even the permanent staff at the Central Station was still two men short, after four men had been taken on from the E.F.S.

“One thing that struck the board very forcibly,” said the chairman, "was the inrush of enlistments soon after an appeal had been successfully made for an E.F.S. man; and there were a lot of men who enlisted within a surprisingly short time before being called in a ballot. This sort of thing is naturally viewed with disfavour. On the other hand, men who had obviously done a lot of training before this year, and showed some public spirit, will be viewed differently." "I think with the entry of the Japanese into the war, and then those ballots that came after it, it was inevitable," said Mr Morrison. "A lot of men realised they ought to be doing something, and I don’t think you can tab them all in one category with men who joined up just in the hope of evading other service." To the chairman, Mr Morrison said that any cases of unsatisfactory service were immediately reported to the secretary of the Armed Forces Appeal Board. After Mr Morrison’s detailed evidence as to the circumstances of various individual cases had been taken, letters were read from L. F. Hendren and T. J. Fletcher, who wished to go to camp, and protested against being reserved. Stanley Herbert James appeared personally to oppose his appeal, saying that people were "talking" about him, and other children were "talking" to his children at school.

Decision on every case was reserved, and the names will be published when the decisions are made known.

The appeals of J. Mercer and Sons, Ltd., for David Gordon Smith and Keith Mackenzie Yarrall, coppersmiths. were adjourned sine die. Reserved Decisions Adjourned sine die; Booth, Macdonald and Company, Ltd., for George Arthur Skelton (company secretary); Louis Peter Christie, for Clarence L. P. Christie (printer), adjourned for review in May; John Vivian Barker, market gardener. Service Postponed.—Booth, Macdonald and Company, Ltd., for Arnold Robert Turner (accountant), until February. E. A. Stead, for Robert Clcland (farmer), until February. Recommendations were made that the following appellants be transferred to the second division of the; Home_ Guard: Thomas Coulter, A.-. Currie, Ronald Edward Erickson; -Richard Walter Hayton.

NO. 2 APPEAL .BOARD

Correction of statements made to the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board some time ago by Mr C. S, Luncy, building contractor, was made by Captain S. Bowron, military representative, at the board's sitting yesterday. Mr J. S. Barnett presided, and the other members of the Board were Messrs S. L. Wright and H McCaw.

Captain Bowron said Mr Luncy had stated that builders supervised the erection of Army huts, but military engineers had told Captain Bowron that this was not so, and the Army was capable of erecting the huts itself. The point came up during the hearing of appeals made by B. Moore and Son for three carpenters (all grade I men), and Captain Bowron said that the firm did not need the men. S. Moore said that the men were doing the job faster than the Army could do it. The men appealed for were G. R. Boundy, J. S. O’Loughlin, and T. R. Hooper, All three cases were held over tor further inquiry.

The following appeals were adjourned sine die: Stevens and Sons, Ltd., for Albert Ross Laing, bodybuilder; Trade Service Company, for JE. Moran, serviceman; Marathon Rubber Footwear, Ltd., for John F. McMahon, sole clicker; Public Works Department, for R. G. Hoban, linesman; R. W, Osborne, senior linesman; A. V. Fuller, station operator, and Albert S. Brown, sub-station operator; Matthew Park and Sons, for Robert T. Russall, motor mechanic; C. E. Otley, Ltd., for Wilfred Hill, mill woodworker, and Sydney Hood, joiner; A. and T. Burt, Ltd., for J. W. Madsen, plumber; Director of National Service, for Robert Oliver Croy, farm implement mechanic; J. Bnllanlync Company, Ltd., for C. G. Smith, shirt cutter; Scott Bros., Ltd., for William M. Densem, header assembler; Smartwear Manufacturing Company, Ltd., tor Ivan T. H. Tankard, clothing manufacturer; Fairbairn, Wright, Ltd., for R. Edwards, head storeman.

Postponement of service until April next year was granted in the following cases: Central Egg Floor, Ltd., for William Gray, accountant; J. Rattray and Son, Ltd., for T. F. Crossan, buyer: W. H. Price and Son, for M. H. McCausland, brass finisher, and L. B. Walklin, process worker; D. H. Cossar, for Leo Francis Inns, carpenter. The following appeals were dismissed; Berry and Halliburton, for Noel Jarden; G. E. Snook, for Alan R. Hobson, salesman and cleaner; A. B. Anderson, for F. C. Mair, butcher; India Service Station, for Sapper Donald McTainsh. vulcaniscr. The release was recommended of F. C. Mair, butcher, on condition that he return to the employ of P. Odering. The service of Thomas Reginald Brice (appealed for by Mrs A, E. Brice), . was limited to home defence.