BALLOT APPEALS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3028, 15 March 1917, Page 6

BALLOT APPEALS

' "ESSENTIAL" WORKERS Exemption for clergymen The Third Military Service Board sat festevday and had 32 appeals to (leal (villi. Mr. W. H. S. Moorhouso pro--, sided and with him wero Messrs. M. J. Mack, and A. 0. Considine. Captain Baldwin was present as military Representative. ■ Clerks in Holy Orders. His Lordship Bishop Sprott, of Wellington, appealed on behalf of the Kcv. (William D. S. Ogaen, of Aramoho, the jßev. Kenneth J. M'Farian.d, of Paliiuerston North, and the Rev. 'Thomas -IGardner, 55 Martin Square, Wellington. Mr. H. E. Evans appeared on foehalf of Bishop Sprott and stated that •the Bishop was on a confirmation tour 'and would not be back in Wellington 4'or three weeks. Mr. Evans explained that the Rev. :D. S. Ogden was the sole clergyman •"in the Aramoho district, which covered ■a v"ry large area. Tho Rev. K. T. iM'Farland was the junior at J'almerston North, and he was a New Zealand student and had been recently "ordained. There were in the district 'seven churches and nine Sunday schools. There wore three clergymen in the district, hut one of them had .recently been appointed to Taranaki, ■and if the Rev. M'Farland were taken Hhere would onlv bo one clergyman in 'the diocese. The Rev. Thomas Gaidrtier was the second curate at ■ St.. 'Peters, Wellington. He also was a New Zealand student and had been recently ordained. The Eastbourne parish ■ bavins; become vacant, Mr. Gardner had been appointed to the vacancy, "this being found necessary. The board adjourned the appeals sine flic, with exemption from military service, the cases to be subject to review before tho ballot for .the second division is taken. ' Essential Workers. / Mr. J. L. Mullhollahd, N.Z.. Inspector of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd., appealed on behalf of Irani Noble Davidson' and Ernest "Alexander Miller, wireless operators. Mr. Mullholland explained that the two men were at the present time engaged as' wireless operators and could not be replaced. The cases were adjourned sine die, "conditionally on the men continuing in their present work and reporting periodically to No. 5 Group Commander.

Harry Bertram Collett, prcsser, 127 Elizabeth Street, appealed on the eround that he was engaged in munition work. Mr. Cr'oinbie, who appeared for appelant, stated that Collett ..was 42 years of age, and had passed 'the Medical Board subject to undergoing an operation. Appellant was cmployed as a presser and examiner by Mr. J. F. Forrester, clothing manufacturer, who was making uniforms for the Supply Board. There were 31 hands engaged, of whom 28 were girls. The •appellant could not be replaced, for .there were no pressors to be had in Wellington. A woman might he able to do the examining, but the pressing was too much, for the Goose irons 'weighed from 15 to 201b. Collett had had 20 years' experience, and it was stated that it took four or five years for a. man to become a competent presser. Evidence was given by Mr. Forrester, the employer, and also by Mr. Soloman, another clothing manufacturer.

The board dismissed the appeal, the military representative undertaking to obtain a month's leave for appellant to enable the employer to find a substitute.

The appeals of Peter Berry, export slaughterman, Tokomaru Bay, and of Harry Coulston, slauzhterman, 32 Fitz■herbert Street, Petone, and David .Tones, 25 Sydney Street, Petone, employed by the Wellington Meat Export Company, were supported by Mr. M. J. Reardon, secretary of the Slaughtermen's-Union. With respect to Coulston it was stated that lie was a Q.ueenslandor at present resident in Wellington, and travelled between Australia and New Zealand as the season opened in each place. The appeals were on the grounds that the men were encaged in an essential industry. \ Tlie cases were adiourned sine die, appellants to be exempt from military servicc so long as they remain in their present occupatiou, and to report on the first day of oach month to the Commander of No. o Group.. Two other slaughtermen, William .Richard Rowland, and Percy Gordon Staples, employed bv the Gear Meat Company, also appealed for exemption. Mr. TT.' C. Comer, manager of the slaughtering department, who appeared to support the appeals, said the company was shorthanded, that was to say there were onlv 80 men available this season, as against 110 usually. A great- number of the men had volunteered and ha_d Jieen accepted for service. The company could not spare tho men. The decision of the board was the same as in the case of the other slaughtermen. Special Consideration. The appeal of James Henry Butler, market gardener, Taita, was oil the ground of undue hardship. Mr. W. F. Ward, who appeared for appellant, said that iiutler enlisted in 1915, but was rejected, as he was suffering from goitre. He -underwent • an-operation, and again enlisted last year, but was again rejected. His brother had also enlisted and been rejected. He, too, ■underwent- an operation, and again enlisted, when he was accepted. A third brother, who was in England, had enlisted in the Garrison Attilie 17. The two brothers bought a proporty at Taita containing about 61 acres, which they were cultivating as a market garden. The appellant was the only one left to look after this property, and also' their parents, who were not in good health, and were partly supported by appellant.

Tho chairman said in a case like this where every effort had been made to enlist, the board strained every point to give the appellant the fullest consideration. The appeal was adjourned sine die. with military exemption, the case to' bo reviewed before the ballot for the Second Division was taken. Patternmaker's Appeal. 'Arthur. Vincent Allen, patternmaker, 14 i'inlav Terrace, Wellington. applied for time and financial assistance. Mr. M. Myers appeared for appellant, and stated that Allen might well be classed as an essential worker, for his work had a great deal to do with troopships and refrigerated steamers. Mr. W. Cable, ironfoimdor, stated that his firm was doing a great deal of work in connection with transports and freezing ships; and Allen was essential for the effective carrying out of such work. He employed two patternmakers, tho other was not in the ballot. Patternmakers were very scarce, and ho had tried in all the chief centres and oven in Sydney to obtain workers without success. Captain Baldwin: What extension of time do you want for Allen? Mr. Cable: Three months, with the right to appeal again. Captain Baldwin: That is practically total exemption. — Mr: Cable: We cannot say wlmfc ronf happen in three mouths. The war may bo over then, Finally tho hoard adjourned the apikbl. ion two. znau&s. with escmjSs,

lion from military service, applicant to remain in his present occupation and to i*port regularly to tho group commander. Other Appeals. An adjournment for two months, with exemption from military service, was granted in tho caso of Charles Compton, sash and door manufacturer, 29 Rata Road, Hatsitai, for family reasons. Mr. J. C. I'eacock appeared in support of tho appeal. Maxmilliaii, Gandar, surveyor, 3 Arawa Road'' Hataitai, asked for an extension of time, and was granted two months, with exemption from military service. Robert John Curry, -jnnr., painter and paperhanger, 131 Thonidon Quay, appealed for an extension of time for domestic reasons. Tho appeal was dismissed, the military representative undertaking to obtain for appellant leave of absence for six weeks without pay. Extension of time war- the appeal muds ou behalf of William Charles Francis, plumber, Upper Hntt, by his employer. Francis also _ stated lie would liko to liavo his time extended for domestic reasons. The. appeal was dismissed, Captain Baldwin undertaky ing to obtain for_ him two months leave of absence without pay. . George Frederick Walsh, snips steward, for whom Mr. Hindnlarsh appeared, produced a certificate from Dr. Hardwick Smith, in which it was stated that Walsh had undergone an operation, ■ a toe being removed, and that lie was unfit to undertake any work involving walking. It was stated that tho Medical Board had passed Walsh for service, subject to his having an operation performed. Th& appeal was based mainly on family and financial reasons. Tlie appeal was dismissed. Decision in the case of Tom Blythe Elliott, driver, 46 King Street, "Wellington, was held over until to-dar. The ground of appeal was undue hardship. Elliott had served 223 days with the Samoan Expeditionary Force, and was discharged with a good character. Ho desired to enlist with tho 4t)i Reinforcements, and his brother also wanted to enlist, and as both could not get away he allowed his brother to go. He was the sole support of his mother, and he thought it was his duty to stand by her. William Bradbury. 42 Overton lerrace, Kilbirnie, appealed on theground that he was not a reservist. He produced the necessary certificates, and the appeal was upheld. , . . The hoard adjourned until 10 o clock this morning.