APPEAL BOARDS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23915, 6 April 1943, Page 6

APPEAL BOARDS

REPRESENTATION OF R.S.A. VIEWS OF CHRISTCHURCH ASSOCIATION The case for representation of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association on armed forces appeal boards was again discussed by members of the executive committee of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association last evening, when the secretary (Mr E. F. Willcox) referred to two cases of men called into camp at less than a week’s notice after their appeals had been heard, and told that they were on final leave, although they had had no previous military training. The committee decided to renew its efforts to obtain Returned Services’ Association representatives on the appeal boards.

The first case given by Mr Willcox was that of a foreman carpenter who was appealed for and had his appeal dismissed on April 2. He was advised the next day to proceed to camp on April 6, and was told that he was on final leave. The man was married with two children, and had had no previous military training. The second case was that of an accountant who had been appealed for by his employers. His entry into camp had been postponed until March 31, as he had a lot of business to complete by the end of the financial year. He had received notice to go into camp on April 6, and was told that he was now on final leave, and that no further leave would be granted. He had had no previous military training. Mr J. Dyer, the representative of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force sub-committee, said the association should agitate more than ever for representation of the Returned Services’ Association on appeal boards. Married men had been sent overseas when there were grade 1 single men who had never been appealed for or done a day’s military training in their lives walking the streets and boasting of it. “The whole trouble is that the Minister of Manpower has never seen any war service,’’ said Mr D. W. Russell. “The work is not being done by these boards because they do not get proper direction or proper support. I make no apology for saying that. It is well known that Mr McLagan has vetoed suggestions for the representation of returned soldiers on some appeal boards. That is why we asked Dominion headquarters to refer the matter to the Prime Minister. In my opinion Mr McLagan has no interest in the Returned Services’ Association whatever.’’

The president (Mr C. Miln) said the whole thing was like knocking one’s head against a brick wall, but the association had to carry on. Archdeacon A. J. Petrie said the association should renew its representations for a returned soldier representative on various appeal boards.