MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 16550, 9 October 1917, Page 5

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

i SITTING IN DtTNEDIN. TO-DAY'S LIwST.' - The First Otago Military Sorvico Board resumed their sitting in the Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, this morning] Alexander Ritchie- Bnchan, plumbov, Dunedin (Mr Adorns), appealed on the ground of undue hardship. There was abo an appeal by the employer, J. B. Shanks Port Chalmers.—The reservist said he was •till the only registered plumber with Mr Shanks. He was <i mnrned man, and his inothor (who was in ill-health) was partlv dependant upon him. Ha had one brotho'r at Trentham, and another was lying wounded _in Hornehnrch Hospital.—Ad • jcurned sine die,. to be reconsidered any time the .board think fit. Leslie M'Donald 'Purvey, shepherd, Ngapuna, (Mr J. Cook), applied for oxtension of time.—Mr Cook said that there -was also a similar application by. the employer (A. Carnithers), though this, tho board pointed out, had not yet come to hand from Wellington.—Reservist was granted till the calling up of the December draft for CI men.

Robert Henry Garbutt, plumber, Musselburch, appealed an the ground of undue hardship, he being the main support of his mother.—To Captain Free: It would take tall the end of the year to clear up the ■work already in hand. The business ■would then have to be closed, and his men would have to find a'e-omployment. There would be no difficulty about this, however.—The hoard said they would treat this case in tlio same manner as the previous ono had been treated. Tho appeal w;ould be adjourned sine die, to be recon»dored at any time. The appeal of Frederick Wm. Andrews Jvas adjourned, pending receipt of reply to application for financial assistance. A v s £"-> a PJPealed oh behalf « btephen Noble Brown, printer and publisher Dunedin.—Appellant said he employed three men besides his son.—To Captain Free: He had tried to get someone to fill the reservist's place, but without success. He did not think it would be feasible to arrange with other small farms to share the work—Captain Free: lnat would be merely co-operatfon. Appollant: It would be ruination to some of us.—Captain Free pointed out that most businesses had been sorely inconvenienced by their men being taken.—Appeal adjourned, to be considered when Class B w | econd is called up. W m - S -Davies,'ironmonger, South Dunedin (Mr Hay), appealed on thfe. ground of nndne hardship.— Appellant said that he was the main support of his mother (who was not in good health) and sister.—The Lhairman said - that the board recognised that this, in common with many others, was a hard case,, and their sympathies were with tho appellant. They could not find, however, that there was undue hardship under the Act. The appeal would he dismissed, appellant not to bo called up before' the November draft. Henry Barwell Burton,' ironmonger, Roslyn (Mr Stephens), applied for extension of time to adjust his affairs.—Allowed tul January draft. John Butter, farm hand, Dunedin.—Mr Scurr, for appellant, said the latter had volunteered when ho turned 20, but had since been drawn in tho ballot. As a volunteer he was entitled to leave till Do cember.—Appeal allowed, appellant being already a member of the Expeditionary Forces. J The appeal of Thomaa Campbell, engineer, St. Kilda, -was adjourned till tomorrow, when the employer's appeal will be held. John Daniel Carlene, farm laborer, Mosffiol,, appealed on tho ground of undue hardship, aJso on conscientious grounds. Questioned as to his allegiance, appellant was not quite clear as to what was meant, but said he was a Britisher. He said ho had been brought up in the Presbyterian Church., but." went to other churches for experience—Methodist; Salvation Army, or anything like that." To the Chairman: Ho had not been to any meeting where he had imbibed theso ideas, but the Bible taught him that he must not kill.—Mr Keflott: Does the Bib!© not teach you anything else besides that?— Appellant, in reply to the' chairman, said that he would be willing to go into the Ambulance Corps, but afterwards -qualified this by saying that he would if he -was not compelled to work on the Sabbath.—To Mx Kellet: He did necessary work now on Sundays, snch as milking.—The Chairman explained to appellant that if his appeal-were allowed on the ground of conscientious religious objection it would be necessary for him to sign the form signifying has willingness to do non-combatant work.—Appellant eventually said, he would sign the form.—The board dismissed the appeal, the Reservist not having shown that ho belonged to - a body holding the views he had expressed, this being necessary, under the Act, to the success- of an appeal on conscientious grounds. Frederick G. Clearwater, dairy farmer, having been classed C2, withdrew his appeal.

Vivian E. B. Courtis, accountant, Dunedin (a 01 man) aoplied for medical reexamination; and -oroduced doctors' certificates showing him to be subject to attacks of asthma and bronchitis.—The Chairman pointed out that as a CI man appellant would go into camp for special training, and if his condition was such that he would not stand the training he would, bo discharged. Appellant said his position with his employers would be prejudiced if he had to go away.—The board said thoy could not interfere in the circumstances, bo appellant withdrew his appeal. Richard J. V. Craigio, dairyman, Anderson Bay (Mr Adams) appealed on the ground of undue hardship.—There was also an appeal by the father.—Reservist said he served about 100 customers in his run and collected these accounts. Another man served the balance of 160 or so.— Puchard _ Craigje, sen., said he ran the dairy with his son and son-in-Jaw. He could, not carry on without the son.—Appeal dismissed, appellant not to be called up before the November draft. William FelLr Fletcher, coppersmith, South Dunedin (Mr Allan), appealed on tho ground of unduS hardship.—Adjourned sine die, subject to review on any change of circumstances; appellant to report monthly to military representative. The appeal of Joseph Samuel Dee, master mariner, was formally dismissed, there being no appearance of the appellant. . The appeal of Michael Harty on behalf of John Harty, farm laborer, Wlngatui (Mr Allan), was withdrawn. John Hallum. farmer, Waikouaiti (Mr Dawson), appealed on the ground of undue hardship.—Appellant said he had a brother who had just returned from camp on leavo with a badly-aprained ankle, and who could do very light work, but he would probably havo to return to camp in three months. There were two uncle's in the district, but they could only help occasionally.—William Hallum, father of appellant, said that he and his two sons were partners in .the farm. Ho could not poafiiblv carry on without appellant. Witness could not now do agricultural work. There woro two daughters on the farm.—Appeal adjourned till the January fitting of the board. In the appeal of Neavie Isaac Coory, hawker, Dunedin, Mr Hanlon, who appeared for appellant, said that this was a brother of the lad whose case was heard by the board lately, and in which a recommendation had been made regarding the advisability of sending Syrians to the front. This recommendation, counsel believed, was being considered in Wellington, and he suggested that a similar recommendation might be mado in the present case.—The board agreed to this, and dismissed the appeal, granting an extension of time till the November draft in order that appellant may wind up his affairs. Adam Harris, carter, Green Island (Mr Scnrr), asked for time till January to enable him to carry out contract with Green Island Borough. Council.—Appellant' was granted till December draft. Messrs Hall and Co. (Mr Hainan) appealed on behalf of Fredk. G. & Haft flour-miller.—Mr Hall, sen., said that the reservist was a millwright as well aa a miller.—The board had a report on the matter from the .Efficiency Board before tnem.—Appeal adjourned sine die, to be reviewed at any time. :. John Horan,' canister maker, South Dunlin (Mr Hanlon), asked for extension of

time till January to arrange his affairs. — Mr Hanlon explained that appellant wanted time to execute repairs to his house, which he had bought last year. Ho was a married man with a child.—Extension was grunted till November draft. An application for extension of leave was heard in tho caso of Peter Alexander M'Laren {Mr Ivwin), whoso appeal had beon previously dismissed, and who had gone into camp with the July draft.—-Tho ground of the application was the precarious health of tao reservist's mother.— i)r Evans gave '.widence, and the board recommendod three months' leave of absence without pay, the matter to be thon gone into again if necessary. Tho appeal 3f G*nrge Howdon, jun., seedsman, Dunedin (Mr Calvert), was adjourned till tho first sitting s o£ the board in November. "*