EXEMPTION FROM SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 29 July 1941, Page 6

EXEMPTION FROM SERVICE

ARMED FORCES BOARD SITTING IN NELSONSOME DECISIONS ANNOUNCED The following decisions in respect to yesterday morning’s cases were given in the afternoon by the No. 5 Armed Forces Appeal Board, which is sitting ine Nelson: Clarence Wilson Ford, adjourned sine dier transferred to the Territorial Forces: Noel William Liddle. adjourned sine die; Robert Thomas Silcock, adjourned sine die. transferred to the Territorial forces; Stanton R. Weljs, dismissed subject to reservist not being called up before Ist October; Owen Alexander Frampton. dismissed subject to reservist not being called up before Ist September; Frank Randall, dismissed on the grounds of undue hardship, adjourned sine die on the grounds of public interest; Ronald Leslie Wendleborn, adjourned sine die; Murray Trevor Palmer, adjourned sine die: Andrew Bint, adjourned sine die; appeal by Mrs E. F, Fauchelle for Herbert G. Fauchelle. on the grounds of ur .ue hardship, adjourned sine die. and appeal by reservist on tha grounds iof conscientious objection dismissed, I with the condition that he does service 1 [only in a non-combatant unit. ! The members of the board are Messrs IF. F. Reid, S.M. (chairman>. G. M. Hall, jand A. H. McKane. Mr E. C Champion I is the Crown representative j Raymond James Barnes appealed on I the grounds of undue hardship, because, •of the state of his wife’s health. I Mr A. E. Whitwell was a co-appellant tin this case. He said that Barnes work , :ed for him on the farm. He had had, • difficulty in getting suitable labour. Decision was reserved. ORCHARD I ST’S APPEAL i Charles Edwin Holmstrom lodged an (appeal on the ground of public interest I land undue hardship. Mr A. H. Holm-; strom appealed for his son on the same ' grounds. Appellant said that he was j working for his father on the orchard, j His father was not able to do the heavy work and could not pack. Appellant's father said that there was I a lot of work that he was unable to do on the orchard. Decision was reserved. ITALIAN’S APPEAL The appeal of Francesco Persico was reheard. For appellant Mr Rout asked l to amend the ground of appeal to! public interest. The appeal was in- ; voluntary. j To Mr Champion appellant said that; he had served in the Italian navy for! j two years. When he turned 21 he was) still in Italy. He had obtained a Bri-| Itish passport because he was born ini j Nelson. As a tomato grower he pro- j jduced 1000 cases a year. In his statement, to the board Persico • said that in May 1940 he applied for \ naturalisation in New Zealand and this} was either refused or deferred. He j considered himself a British subject by j birth, and was quite willing to fight for : New Zealand. The matter was adjourned for a day. Mr J. W. Dron 'Mr J. R. Kerr) farm- j or, appealed for his son. Russell James Dron, on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Decision was reserved. On similar grounds Mr H. Murcott, j farmer, appealed for his son, William i Henry Murcott. Decision was reserved. Joseph Clinton Gibbs (Mr C. R. Fell) appealed on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Decision was reserved. Sutton Bros., (milk retailers and wholesalers) appealed for Leonard Francis Smith on the grounds of public interest. Mr Sutton said that there were three

brothers as well as Smith to carry on the farm work. They were milking 60 Decision was reserved. Mr G. P. Kellor snr., farmer and blacksmith, appealed for his son, George Percival Kellor, on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Mr W. V. Fletcher said that appellant asked only that his son be not called up before Ist November. > Th board dismissed the appeal subi ject to the condition stated. 1 OPPOSED TO BEARING ARMS Conscientious objection was the j ground of the appeal of Ira Voyce Vernon Fawcett. Appellant said he was a member of the Apostolic Church. | The chairman suggested that it was j ‘ no part of the church’s teaching that a ’ man should refuse to perform military; '] service, but that it was left to the in- : 1 ! dividual. '! Appellant agreed. He added that he * | was not opposed to rendering some , [ i form of military service but was i [ I opposed to bearing arms. To take an] : (active part overseas would be to place j [j himself in the category of those in the [[firing line. He did not feel disposed to ; i go out of New Zealand. '! In reply to Mr Champion he said that 'I if a drunk man came to the house to [hurt his children he would go to the [ authorities. When pressed further apjpellant said that he would use force to []stop the man hitting his child. | Decision was reserved. Mr F. E. Newport appealed for his j ’son. Wallace Blair Newport, on the' [grounds of public interest and undue! l j hardship. The Primary Production! Committee also lodged an appeal. J The reservist also appealed on the j j grounds of conscientious objection, but) ! was willing to do non-combatant ser-j I Decision was reserved. Ashton Frederick Quinney, farmer,! appealed as a conscientious objector.! , He said he was a member of the Com- j monwealth Covenant Church. To the chairman appellant said that; !he did not believe in bearing arms but! {would do non-combatant service. „ | To Mr Champion he said that if an ! enemy came to New Zealand he would ' not use firearms then. Decision was reserved. The board then adjourned till to-day. i