TERRITORIAL APPEALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1940, Page 2

TERRITORIAL APPEALS

HEARING AT GREYM-OUTH. COMMITTEE’S DECISIONS. .. Further appeals against Territorial service by or on behalf of men selected in the Second Ballot were heard' at Greymouth yesterday afternoon by the No. 9 Area (Greymouth) Manpower Committee, Messrs W. Meldrum (chairman), P., _J., McLean, and A. J. Panther. In most cases Sirie die adjournments were granted, the majority of. appeals -concerning men employed in the sawmilling, mining and farming industries. The secretary of the Committee, Mr C. F. Shapcott, conducted, the cases for the National Service Department. Edward Brennan appealed ,bn the grounds that he was not a member of the class called up. Appellant said that the date of his birth was November 12, 1888, not November 12, 1918, as stated oh the enrolment card. He was born at Larrikins, Kumara, and produced a •copy of his birth certificate. Mr Shapcott said that, appellant’s evidence coincided with the information supplied by the Director of National Service, and it was one of the cases in which the Committee could allow the appeal straight out. The appeal was allowed and Mr Shapcott informed the appellant that his name would be removed from the class and placed in the correct division of the Reserve. ,

The New Forest Sawmilling Company appealed on behalf of Rex Schwass, bushman, on the grounds of undue hardship to the company and public interest. John Spiers Robertson said that the recruit was employed as a second bushman and he (witness) supported the company’s statement that it would be a hardship if the recruit was taken, and against public interest. The industry was very short of bushmen, and arrangements had already been made to discourage one mill taking staff from another, thus the recruit would be almost impossible to replace. The company’s output would be seriously affected if the recruit was taken and at the present time, they could not keep pace with the demand for timber. The appeal was adjourned sine die. Stuart and Chapman, Ltd., sawmillers, appealed on behalf of Charles Elwyn Griffiths, blacksmith and electric welder, on the grounds of undue hardship and public interest. Mr Shapcott said that appellants, in a written statement, said that the recruit’s services were essential, and that they could not replace him. He had made a thorough study of electric "welding, and was the only man in their employ capable of. doing that work. The company was engaged on essential work, cutting timber for box-making for the dairy industry. Mr Robertson corroborated the statement that the recruit was an essential worker. The appeal was adjourned sine die. STATE COAL MINES. The State Coal Mines appealed on behalf of the following:—William Henry Shackley, trucker; Eugene O’Sullivan, shiftman; Leonard Norbury Downes, mine electrician; John Stacey Carnegie, trucker; Robert Hore McDonald, coal hewer; and Frederick Maxwell Thompson, fitter. All of the appeals were on the ground of public interest.

Percy Moston Outhwaite, manager of the Strongman colliery, appeared on behalf of the State Mines Department, in support of all of the appeals, and referred to the memorandum of October 24, setting out the general arguments in respect to men ■ employed in the mining industry. In reply to a question by Mr Shapcott, he said that the Department had no intention of appealing unless a man was absolutely essential. In regard to Shackley, Mr Outhwaite said that he had been in. the employ of the Department for about ten years, and was employed as a trucker at the James mine. He had a thorough knowledge of rope work and screening equipment, and was known as a “floating hand,” being essential to the mine. . The appeal on behalf of Shackley was adjourned sine die. O’Sullivan, said witness, was a repair shiftman at the Liverpol Colliery. A shiftman was probably the most experienced man in a min ; e. O’Sullivan had spent all his life in the industry and was an absolutely essential man.

The appeal was adjourned sine die. In respect to Downes, witness said he was a mine electrician, .and as such was practically impossible to replace. He must have a wireman’s certificate and must also have a knowledge of underground workings. Downes had been employed by the Department for four or five years. The appeal was adjourned sine did. Carnegie, said witness, was a trucker at the Strongman colliery and was an essential underground worker. There were about 34 truckers in the mine and they were mostly young men. Carnegie had been trucking for ten or eleven months. Mr Shapcott: Has the Department considered the matter of those men’s training dr is the present position to be allowed to continue? Witness: It is a matter of policy. If the demand for trained men becomes greater than the demand for coal, then they will have to go, but you cannot have the men and the coal too. . The appeal was adjourned sine die. In regard to McDonald, witness said that he had been employed by the Department for many years and was a thoroughly experienced collier. He had been a hewer for ten years to witness’s knowledge and was at present a hewer on the coal face. The appeal was adjourned sine die. Thompson, said, witness, was an experienced tub-repairer and fitter. Mr Shapcott said that Thompson’s appeal was required to be lodged prior to October 12, and at that time an appeal was received from his mother, on the ground of undue hardship. On October 31, an appeal was received from the State Mines Department, with a covering letter stating that the Department had not known earlier that, the recruit had been transferred from tub-repairer to fitter, by the engineer. A tub-repairer equid be replaced, but the Department was short of fitters, and for that reason, asked that the late appeal be accepted. * • The Committee decided to accept the late appeal. Continuing his evidence, Mr Outhwaite said that it was essential that Thompson’s services be retained in. case of breakdowns, now that he was a permanent fitter. With the expan-

sidn of the mine and the greater use of mechanical haulage, it had been found that the fitting work was increasing considerably. The manager of the Liverpool mine. had. tried unsuccessfully to secure a. fitter,, and from that it could be taken that a replacement could not be found for Thompson. The appeal was adjourned sine die. •Referring to the appeal by Annie Thompson, mother of Frederick Maxwell Thompson, on the grounds of undue hardship, Mr Shapcott said that, at the original hearing, it had been pointed out to appellant that the recruit would still be able to provide for her out of his military pay, and as she had appeared to be confused on the matter, the case had been adjourned. She had subsequently advised that she desired the appeal to proceed, and following another adjournment, requested by the Department, she had written a letter setting out her personal position, in general terms. She was not present that day. The appeal, on the grounds of undue hardship, was dismissed. RE-HEARING. Mr Shapcdtt announced that there was an application by the Director ol National Service for a re-hearing of an appeal by the State Mines Department on behalf of Robert Arthui White, a trucker. The appeal was heard on October 17 and dismissed. There had been two appeals, one by the recruit, who stated his objection to service overseas, and when it was pointed out to him that he was called only for Territorial service, he was satisfied and the appeal was dismissed. In regard to the Depar - ment’s appeal, the manager ot the mine stated in evidence that he could release the recruit, and the appeal was dismissed. Since then, representations had been made to the Director of National Service by the State Miners’ Union, which had satisfied the Director that there was further evidence to be heal’d,. and the Director had instructed him (Mi Shapcott) to place the matter before the Committee. The Committee granted a re-hear-m Mr Shapcott said that it would be understood that the only thing that 'the Committee could hear w a s new evidence, which was not available at the original hearing. The mine manager had informed the Committee that White had been employed foi three months, and that he could be George Edward English, president of the State Miners’ Union, said he understood that the manager _ had been caught unawares at the original hearing and had stated that he could release all the truckers. All were subsequently granted je-hearing, with the exception of White, who seemed to be “the odd man out. White had said that he did not want to go overseas, and thought that he had only two alternatives. The manager had informed witness recently that White was a good worker and had fallen right into the work, being to all intents and purposes, an experienced trucker. He had been persuaded by a relation to enter the mine in the first place. The Union had passed a resolution that it would not support the appeal of anyone who had gone into the mine after the introduction of conscription. In reply to a question by Mr Panther, witness said that White was not handling a jig. ~ , To Ml’ Shapcott, witness said that the application had originated from the Union. He could not say that it had the support of the mine manager, but the last-mentioned certainly did not oppose it. _ The Commitee reserved its deciThe Committee reserved its deciThere was no appearance of Herbert Allan Youngman, dairy farmer, Inchbonnie, who appealed on the ground of public interest. Mr Shapcott said that the only evidence was contained in the actual form of appeal, in which appellant stated that he was hand-milking 17 cows. The Fields Instructor did not know the case and had been unable to go out to make a report, owing to being called away from the district. The appeal was deferred, to enable a report to be secured from the Fields Instructor.

Thomas Richard Smithers appealed on behalf of Thomas William Smithers, farmer, on the grounds of undue hardship. Appellant said that he was engaged in farming at Stillwater, and the recruit had been managing the farm for the past 18 months, working 80 to 90 hours a week. He waS the only employee on' the farm. One of appellant’s sons, a railway employee, ? who used to assist on the farm, was already in camp, and another son, in Christchurch, was to go into camp in January. In an effort to increase production, the herd had been increased 50 per cent, this year, and they were now milking 20 cows and had 25 head of dry stock. It was a difficult farm to work.. Appellant could not possibly do without the recruit. The Winter work on the farm was just as important as> the Summer.

The appeal was adjourned sine die. In respect to an adjourned appeal by the Railways Department, on behalf of Issac Ronald Horne, fireman, Mr Shapcott said that at the original hearing, the Railways Department representative had stated that Horne was about to leave the service to join the police service and the case was accordingly stood down. Since then, a letter had been received from the Commissioner of Police advising that Horne had been sworn in as a temporary constable, and asking that, owing to the difficulty of securing recruits for the force, service should be postponed. The appeal was adjourned sine die. The Lands and Survey Department appealed on behalf of Thomas Henry Marks, surveyor, 'on the ground of public interest. Mr Shapcott said that a letter from the Chief Surveyor, Hokitika, set 'out that the recruit was on the fields survey staff at Jackson’s Bay. He was employed as a labourer, but had had considerable experience in field surveying, and it was requested that his service should be postponed for

four months, when it was . expected that the surveying job would be finished. The recruit’s obligation for service was deferred until February 28, 1941.. I BULLER CASES At a sitting of No. 9A Manpower Appeal Committee at Westport, Hoy T. Kyle, manager of the Self Help Store (Westport) was granted a postponnient of service until April 30, so that an attempt can be made to replace him./ , ... David E. Fairley, farmer and milk vendor, Waimangaroa, appealed on the grounds of being unable to get labour for his farm and to get a man for his milk run, which is the sole supplier of Denniston. An adjornment sine die was granted. - • . The appeal of Ryan and Sons, bakers, Westport, for Victor H., Johnson, whose ■ absence it was claimed would mean financial hardship and personal inconvenience to the firm because of the difficulty in getting experienced men,, was dismissed, as was an appeal by Mrs. M. Gough for her son Benjamin Gough, on the grounds of undue hardship, as he financially and otherwise assisted his invalid father. An appeal by the Charming Creek Coal Company for Allan James Pink, trucker, was dismissed, and an adjournment sine die was granted on the appeal for a miner, Cyril G. King. Appeals by the Westport Coal Company for a mine mechanic and trucker were adjourned sine die, and that for a bins assistant was dismissed.

— MEDICAL STUDENTS WELLINGTON, November 28. ' Difficulties encountered by students through having to enter camp, thus interrupting studies,, were mentioned before the Wellington Manpower Committee when it was reported that the whole question of medical students was being investigated hy the authorities, in order to ensure that their studies are not unduly interrupted by territorial training. The committee was hearing the appeal of a medical student about to go to the Medical School, Dunedin. He appealed for a postponement of his military service obligations. When called up he asked to be taken into camp immediately, he said; but the authorities could not take him until the end of March, by which time his studies would have been resumed. The case was adjourned. OVERSEAS BALLOT WELLINGTON, November 28. The Minister for National Service (Mr. Semple) to-day gave some information regarding the recent ballot for overseas service. “The method of drawing this ballot,” said the Minister, “differed in one important respect from the territorial ballots, inasmuch as it was over the Dominion as a whole, withqut regard to military districts. The number of reservists drawn was 14,000, which is almost exactly 20 per cent, of the men available is Class A of the First Division. The numbers drawn from the various districts were: -Auckland, 2186; Paeroa, 825; Whangarei, Hamilton, 862; Wellington, 1795; Wanganui, 967; Napier, 1091; New Plymouth, 649; Nelson, 966; Christchurch, 2063; Dunedin, 1088; Invercargill, 975; total, 14,000. . . “As might be expected,” continued the Minister, “the number in each district on which the lot fell represents almost an identical percentage of the total available reservists therein, the greatest variation from the basic 20 per cent, be'"'" J' " Two !urther points of are that of the 14,000 men drawn for service overseas, 712 are volunteer members of the Territorial Forces, and 6874 were previously drawn in one or other of the two territorial ballots. As previously stated, men who were drawn in the second ballot, and again in the overseas ballot (and who have not yet commenced training) will not be required to enter a territorial camp, but will be held back to commence training with the forces for overseas. “The names of men drawn in the last ballot will appear in a Gazette extraordinary to be published on Wednesday next, December 4. Appeals against being called up for service require to be lodged by December 14, and must be sent to the Director of National Service, Wellington, and not (as previously) to the secretaries of the Manpower Committees.” 1