PICTURE DEALER’S APPEAL

Evening Star, Issue 16335, 30 January 1917, Page 1

PICTURE DEALER’S APPEAL

■ “TURNED DOWN” BY MILITARY, 1 BOARD. . k, r °+L°4l cases heard ’i? * tl S d . Wellington Military Service ; i B ° a ™ afc sitting on Friday was that • rfn E \r V^ d OBe P\ Biffhton, of Oriental t 5 ?i % clhn 5 toa - Appellant ie a director of the W Zealand Picture Supplies Com-. . pany, and he appealed on tho grounds of - : pubhc interest and undue hardship. , ■ j „ y f s ’ appeared for Righton, paid that appellant did not wish tot ■' evade service. Ho considered (reports thd ) , •°! lllniou ) his domestic affairs cer- ! warranted his being placed In the k.econcl Division. The Legislature hv their ’ exemptions intended that ono placed sdrailar to Rightton should be in the Second Bu ™' ,A« Bnut fS Q , for the ballot was, ; 46 -, P lO luju .t for children’s ago was 16; i foA marriage limit was fixed at May, . , . o* the appellant was practicaLK- 45 ! lus youngest diild was 16*, and his second . marmgo took place in December 1915 . He certainly considered that this 'legisla- - |f n intended that the Military Service ‘ 1 iSoard, taring all these cmcumstancos into v: . consideration, would bo justified in do; ■ |f ann » Righton as a fit subject for tho" b hceond Division. Practically all his life i J ‘? Jlad been en S a f?ed in organising work*. , Uo . was managing director of • two . oonJL-> :/ panics, and director of a number of oth&r ’■ companies, and ho had control of assets amounting to considerably over £250,000. In times of stress a certain amount of in.- , expensive amusement was necessary’ to eliminate _ depression. The number of theatres in which the Picture Supplied , Company was interested was 42, and their business operated in 116 New Zealand towns. Tho business relations and ramifi- , cations of a company of this kind word very large, and Kightoris position could not be filled. The only person who could do part of the work of Righton was Mr Hayward, who was not robust. ' Righton was prepared to give his services to th< military in an organising capacity, and .Mr Myers suggested that he should not btf sent into camp till the First Division wad - J nearing exhaustion. , ' . Ihe Chairman: What would happen if i . you died? Would the whole of thesd ' tilings have to lie wound up? Righton said that they wopld not be. Mr Mack; Havo you an understudy? Righton; Wo have a secretary and d&n f; partniental managers. What would be the position if anything 31 . happened to you?—Mr Hayward would liavo to take charge. . Captain Baldwin: Tho jvholo of llijf ' : business is for profit? Righton ; Oh, yes. Tie business supplies no other utility than that of public amusement?— No. Hy conscientiously believed that amusement y was needed in there times. Before . tiro formation of tho Picturw • Supply Company pictures were got frori .. somewhere?— Yes. ■ Then the Picture Supply Company ajrd ■. not iiidis]>eusable to Die supply of pic? ' Hires:—No. Are you New Zealand-born?—-Yes, Pou_ appreciate that tho one piaramonidf thing is a supply of men to meet our ob* ligations?—Yes. Those men have to be found.—l firaed with you there. . xind even- man exempted Ims to be re- ’ placed by another man lower down in fihb ‘ ' Ixuiob. Do you think that \)oraineroial in£ ta:o,st of tins kind should bo a reason for* > : wording a tiling which on tho face of it . would bo an injustice?—! believe ■ . that! someone lias to stay at home and supply the t-uiav.r r.i war. I y yp»A,IJL xiicatj,' Captain Baldwin: fXhen 1 take it/(iial ovci-y man engaged jin a profitable commercial undertaking should bo exempted. To Mr Myers: Hin companies had in* ' curred heavy liabilities which extended over long periods. Mr Gonsidine: Do you suggest that Hf Lighten went away all these concerns would break up, and all tho people would lose their money? Mr Myers: No. but it would bo a eerious matter for them. The appeal was disallowed, the military, represent: itivo undertaking to obtaii Righton two months’ leave of absence. '