HOME GUARD SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 November 1942, Page 2

HOME GUARD SERVICE

APPEALS AT GREYMOUTH

The Armed Forces Appeal Board, yesterday heard 17 appeals against Home Guard service. Mr. W. Meldrum presided with Messrs P. J. McLean and A. Panther. Mr. C. F. Shapcott was Secretary. Joseph Edgar Hibbs, manager of United Sawmills at Camerons, 12 miles from the railway, said he had to work six days a week, sometimes on Sunday and at night. He also had to attend to the books of his shop, which was conducted by his sister. United Sawmills supported the appeal, stating that Sunday was the only time for effecting repairs. The Camerons E.P.S. claimed Hibbs’s services were essential.

Mr. Shapcott said other men similarly placed were doing Home Guard service and appellant could obtain exemptions from particular parades. —Appeal dismissed. Daniel Dennehy, mine manager (Mr. W. D. Taylor), was stated to work about 60 hours a week at Golden Sands. The only time when repairs could be effected was on Sundays, reservist being in full charge. He suffered from severe and painful varicose veins. A medical certificate stated that reservist had a massive varicose vein on the left leg and had Jo ride a bicycle for distances over a mile. In Dr. Moore’s opinion Dennehy was not medically fit for Home Guard duty.—Appeal dismissed, subsequent medical examination to determine resrvist’s fitness to parade. John Francis Hibbs, sawmill engineer, Camerons.—Adjourned on medical grounds. Thomas Clasper, winchman on the Marsden dredge, said he worked both day and night shifts. He had to travel by motor-cycle to work for 24 miles and as he was hard of hearing felt he could not serve. In the Great War has was in the Navy.—Appeal dismissed, reservist to be medically boarded.

Joseph Horan, dairy farmer, Coal Creek, said he was farming on his own account and working seven days a week. He milked 20 cows by hand with 1G more to come in. The average number milked throughout the year was 24, taking an hour for seven or eight cows. He was completely without assistance. Cobden and Greymouth were the nearest Home Guard centres. He began milking at 5 a.m., and did not have breakfast till 8.30 or 9 a.m.—Appeal allowed.

William McC. Bell, crane driver employed by the Railways Department said there were only two. permanent crane drivers on the job, and, strangely, they were the only men not appealed for, though appeals had been macle for casuals. He had applied to the foreman for notification that he was engaged in essential work, but this had not been forthcoming. He had been one of the first members* of the E.P.S. and claimed he should be allowed to remain there. He had applied for naval service, but had not yet received advice as to the result.

Mr. Shapcott said the whole matter of railwaymen and the Home Guard was being examined to bring them into line. Reservist could obtain exemption from particular parades. Reservist did not think an odd parade would be worthwhile.

The appeal was dismissed. Charles Stanley Wilson, leading bushman, who had been transferred to the Home Guard by the Army, being a Grade 3 man, was stated to be working in the bush.—Appeal dismissed.

Edmund Wickes, night watchman, Kumara Railway, said he would be engaged seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. He said he could not walk on hard roads owing to an injured ankle, a medical certificate being furnished. —Appeal adjourned. W? McKenzie, bushman, who did not appear, sent a written statement that he was working on a timber lease and as a miner. He had been attending Wednesday evening parades, but would be working on the timber in the longer evenings.—Dismissed, Mr. Shapcott stating that reservist could apply to the Unit Commander for exemption as a miner. Sam Stewart, master butcher, was supported in his appeal by the Greymouth E.P.S., Meat Supply Section. Reservist said he was fully occupied in his business, sometimes not finishing work till after 8 p.m. He did a hard day’s work of 12 hours, his staff being two short, besides which it was inexperienced. He also had to do his own books, and buy stock at the week-ends and on holidays.—Appeal allowed.

Mr. P. H. Morey, District Engineer, supported- the Railway Department’s application to retain Albert Edward Clark, carpenter, in the operating section of the Railway E.P.S. Unit. In an emergency he would be required to repair tracks and, if necessary, for demolition work. —-Appeal allowed.

Mr. R. Gallagher, Assistant-Dis-trict Traffic Manager of Railways appealed for Cecil Rerry, porter at Dunollie, whose services were required by the Department.—Appeal allowed.

The Paroa E.P.S. appealed for John Joseph Delaney and Leslie Gordon Mason, bushmen. J. A. Hudson, Secretary of the Grey County E.P.S. Committee, tendered evidence that both men were prominent members o the Medical Section, having undergone a course. Dr. Bird, Controller of Medical Services for the County, supported the appeals, which were allowed.

i The Blackball E.P.S. appealed for Rupert Archer, dredge winchman, Edward William Holmes, engineer, and James Gordon Ibell, miner, the cases having been stood down . on September 11 lor fuller information. The men were described as trained wardens, required for service.—Appeals dismissed. DUTIES OF "RESERVISTS. CHRISTCHURCH, November. 20. The position in relation to Home Guard service of men whose military training was adjourned sine die, os deferred by the Appeal authority, because they are in essential occupations, or because of their medical gradings, is clarified in a statement issued at the Southern Military District Headquarters,'this morning. Ail men whose service has been deferred are liable for ■service with the Home Guard, and should report to their local Army registration office for instructions, if they have not already been posted to a Home Guard battalion, and if they have not been specifically exempted by the Appeal Authority from Home Guard service. There is a large number of men for whom appeals against Territorial or Overseas service were adjourned, either because of their occupations, their medical gradings,' or for other reasons, before the Home Guard service was declared compulsory. All appeals which have been before the Appeal Courts since April, when the Home Guard service became compulsory, have <been considered not only from the point of view of the reservist’s liability for general service, but also his Home Guard obligations. As appeals heard before April are brought on for review, liability for Home Guard service is also considered, but the statement issued by the Army makes it clear that the reservists whose appeals were heard before that month must not wait for the appeal to be reviewed, but should immediately report to their registration office for instructions. If it is decided they are to serve with the Home Guard, they will have the right

to lodge an appeal against this service. HOME GUAPvD UNIFORMS WELLINGTON, November 19. Satisfactory progress is being made to produce adequate quantities of uniforms for the Home Guard, over and above all other commitments, said the Minister of Supply and Munitions, (Mr. Sullivan). “The full capacity of our mills to produce khaki worsted uniform cloth gives us an output sufficient to manufacture over 350,000 suits of battledress per year. This is the limit of our capacity for worsted material, and our production cannot be increased beyond that figure, without additional plant and machinery which it is practically impossible to obtain from overseas under the present war conditions. As this number of worsted suits is not sufficient to. mefet o.Ur total needs for our overseas, and local defence, and any Home. Guard establishments, we have initiated the production of woollen textile material and from this, additional quantities of battledress are being manufactured, without impeding the production of worsted battlearess. Woollen battledress has been issued to our territorial forces, and it v has proved warm and serviceable. Admittedly it has not the hard-wearing qualities of good worsted cloth, but it helps considerably to meet the immediate need. This woollen battledress is now being issued to members of the Home Guard just as quickly as material can be milled.” LODGING OF APPEALS WELLINGTON, November 19. Appeals for men called in the ballot to be issued on December 22 next will be accepted up to and including January 11, according to a statement by the Minister of National Service to-night. Mr. McLagan said that the extended period of 10 days was being allowed because of the intervention of the Christmas and Nfew Year holidays. The Minister added that as the persons included in this Gazette notice were already known to everyone concerned, it was difficult to imagine how any serious inconvenience could be occasioned, and there was no reason why these people should not now make preparation for lodging appeals and seeking such, legal advice as they deem necessary. This would enable appeals to be lodged promptly on publication of the Gazette. The call-up would include all meh between the ages of 41 ahd 45, together inclusive, with ari intake ol youths attaining 18 years.