MILITARY BOARDS HELD UP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4473, 14 February 1917, Page 6

MILITARY BOARDS HELD UP.

UNABLE TO FULFIL ENGAGEMENTS AT GISBORNE. ATTEMPTS TO COME OVERLAND FAIL. DUE TO DISLOCATION OF STEAMER SERVICE AND BAD WEATHER As indicated in yesterday’s issue, the members of the Medical Board, which arrived in Napier on Monday evening, were unable to proceed to Gisborne owing to the disorganisation of the steamer service. Consequently a great deal of confusion occurred at the Garison Hall yesterday morning, as about 70 men had been ordered to parade there for medical examination. The programme arranged by the Board was to complete the examination of the men and to return to Napier by last evening’s boat, hut of course, these arrangements were completely upset by the situation created by the watersiders, and the wet weather.

Practically all the men ordered to attend examination reported themselves. Some had travelled long distances, and a special coach required to bring in the men from Tologa. Bay. The non-arrival of the Board was explained to the reservists by Lieut-Col. Moir, who stated that the members of the Board had left Napier on Tuesday morning by motor car for Gisborne. „ Throughout the day, the Defence Office was besieged by reservists foi further information regarding the Board, and as to their probable arrival at Gisborne but no definite answer could be given. , The heavy rain that fell yesterdaj further complicated matters for advice was received by the Defence authorities that the members of tiie Board despite their early start were only ’able to get somewhere between Waikairi and Mohaka, and then had to turn back on account of the state of the road, not reaching Napier until late in the afternoon. A number of men who had come into town to have their appeals heard by the Second Appeal Board weie also doomed to disappointment, this time owiim to the bad weather conditions. The Board had been sitting at Wanoa on Monday afternoon and it was arranged that the members should come overland by car to Gisborne, arriving here in time to sit m the aftetnoon. This programme, unfortunately, it i • S to carry out on acconnt of the impassabilitv of tlie loads. Ye- - - morning Lieut-Col. Moir received a telegram from the Chairman o t) Hoard Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., to the effect that the roads were l nip asmhie and the members could not get through. He ordered the cancellation of all arrangements to hear the al peals and announced that the hearing of appeals at Gisborne would have to be postponed till some further date was learned later in the day that the members of the Appeal Board had left Wairoa for Napier by the ra f n ’ Advantage was taken of l sense of the men who had appeaied to fill in their attestation forms, hut the men will not he attested nut aftei their appeals have been decided. D was necessary for tins to be done order that the men will not hale to their expenses out of tlieir o/n sockets that is the men who reported themselves either for medical exai illation or to Wo. tlieir appoah WnhJSneaking to a Times repoitei, Lieut Col?Moir said that the c onf«sioii and dolav which had occurred, altlioiWi very annoying both to the Defence Department and the men concerned was unavoidable. He advised the men to return to thoir homes and avait Wither instructions. He said that • probable that the next sitting of the Soard would be held here, according .i*t Liout-Col. Moir received by telegram to return all men who Jn.t 1-oifie m for medical examination t their homes, and then to await fui thei instructions.