APPEALS DISMISSED

Evening Star, Issue 23973, 26 August 1941, Page 6

APPEALS DISMISSED

MEN OF ITALIAN PARENTAGE OBJECTED TO OVERSEAS SERVICE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 26. Two brothers and a cousin, all of Italian parentage—-Vincent'- Barnao, Joseph Barnao, and Giacomo Barnao—appealed before the Armed Forces Appeal Board this morning from overseas military service. Vincent said he was born in New Zealand, but was at school in' Italy for three years. His parents were treated as enemy 7 aliens. He had been in his present job as a fishv shed'hand for 12 months. Before that'he Was in the Post Office. , He resigned from there as he had access to a wharf with others of the staff and thought that if anything happened he would be suspected. Joseph said he was brought up in Italy. He had l already done three mouths’ territorial training and was quite prepared to do anything in New Zealand. He was a clerk in the Accounts Department in the Post Office. Giacomo, a driver for New Zealand Fisheries Ltd., said he had never been out of New Zealand. His parents were treated as enemy aliens. They had been here for 30 years. . ■ Mr Bell (the Crown representative): You have adopted this country, haven’t vou? . Barnao: Yes, but blood is thicker than .water. „ , . Mr Bell: You get all the privileges, but vou also have all the obligations, and one of those is to fight for ; New Zealand. . . Barnao: i am not appealing against fighting for New Zealand, but against fighting overseas. . All three appeals were dismissed.