MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13773, 9 January 1917, Page 2

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD.

QUESTION OF EXEMPTION. STRAIGHT TIP. TO -RAILWAY DBPAM'iIENT, iVer i'rHß! Asßnuiatioti.) . ■ DUNIiDIN, January S. At the sitting'of the Otago Military Service Hoard to-day. at Duiiediu the adjourned appealoost s Cecil Haden Tait, denial student was heard. The appeal was supported by the Chancellor of the Otago University, on behalf of Dr. Piekeril), liean of.the Dental School,who is en active service

The chairman announced thilt appellant had been passed fit for home service, and was willing to take duties as a clerk, so! lie appeal ivas formally dismissed. the appellant to.he drafted to home service.

The appeal of Alexander .la.-:. Couper, a shunter, was supported by Mr Bowles, railway district trallic manager, who slaicd he was acting under instructions .from tlie general manager of railways, 011 (lie "rounds liiat (lie services of rail-, wayiuen in certain branches were essentia I. \ ' ' After ;i discussion, duriug which the board expressed the opinion that many extra trains, such as race trains, might lie eliminated, the chairman instructed .\lr Bowles to inform his departmental oilier"s that the board was fully in accord with the Wellington board's expression of opinion regardiug the necessity for eliminating extraordinary traffic. .It was possible that military exigencies might necessitate a. rearrangement of ordinary .trallic.

This appeal and similar appeals by Die general manager of railways on behalf of James Joseph Whitty, a litter, ami Thomas George Randall, a shunter, were adjourned till next sitting of tho Board.

CANTERBURY BOARD. SJTTLNU AT JiAMitOKA. (Pur Press Association.) CIMSTGIIUBCII, January 8» Before (lie Military Appeal Board at liangiora to-day, William Edwin Hodgson, Kaiapoi, freezing engineer to the North Canterbury Sheep Farmers' Freezing Company, appealed oil the ground tha 1 his calling up would 1 bo contrary to the public interest. James tionv, works malinger at the freezing works, also appealed oil behalf of .Hodgson upon the ground that Hodgson's services were indispensable to the meat trade. He stated that at present .1000 sheep and from -10 to 50 head of cattle were being killed daily at the works, and tliev would soon lie working to, their full capaeily, it would 'ake a man of sharp intelligence fo ipialify in three months as refrigerating engineer. He admitted there was the possibility of frozen' produce not, be:!)« i-bipped, in.which case he said re!'i iterating engineers would be the mist, valuable men on the premises, The chairman dated (hat witness'

company was only ;i klmv concern, and old J'ri'iv.iiig companies were clogged for waul of shipping .-pace. Witness replied that the company were providing extra storage to lieJp fiiriners save tlieir (locks. TJii" chairman: "And in the meantime New Zealand consumers liave to pay high prices for meat, while von are storii|g it here,'' The chairman said that this wis ouo of I border-line cases where the medical examination would lie of importance to the board, 'Die appeal was iidjouriled for a month to allow of appellant being medically examined, and tn nsccrtniir the position generally in regard to engineers. Carl Willian Tritt, farm hand, View Hill, appealed on the ground that lie was''not- a reservist, lie said lie was appealing to test the newspaper statement, otherwise lie would not have appealed. Ilis parents were both Germans, and lie was .before they were uaftiralised: therefore, according to the newspaper statement, lie was a (>erman. This lie wished to test.

' The chairman ,-nid thai appellant was a liritish subject, having been born in n British possession, but the War Jiegulatious aimed at some persons born of tj.lien parents, who might lie regarded as an'agonistic, Appellant, had expressed no sentiment 'against the British Empire however;

The appeal would be dismissed. Chiiile;'. Werner Lang, fruitgrower, Kaiapoi, appealed upon the, grounds lhat his calling up would .constitute undue hardship and be prejudicial to'the interests-of tile country. Ho possessed a. twenty-acre plae.e, thirteen-acres o! which were planted in fruit trees. He also objected on religious grounds, as lie belonged to the Hrethren. IJe would not object, to performing' simbubut he objected lo taking up arms, After lengthy argument between appellant and the, chairuian of the board (Mr.,l. S. Evans, &M.), the latter stated that appellant, wqa not engaged iii a production essential, at the present, tiuie. He had no dependants, and none of his people had gono to the war. He had a brother who might be 'able to look after the place, ( The 'hoard- recognisedit ,w'as a ear: of hard.ship, but they could not help, that, Willi regard, lo (lie, religious grounds, 'it h,id beenascertained, that quite a number of Ihe, Brethren were serving,• and so far as the board coiilil gather every man.was left' to his own individual 'views. 'Koine considered the bearing of 'arms was, contrary to divine revolution; others wenCHo (he front,. Thej'board's own views wero quite clear;, they: did not think tliere was any proJiibition 'against the bearing; of arms in the Bible at all;, they did iiot think liod oh Christ fvould 'sanction or- approve of any. of, 1 lis followers turning: 'their backs ou woiueii.aud, children needing protection, "As a religious b<n]yj J> said )[i Ei.ins, "jo'i have not" kouglit,

'yourselves within the section of Ihe Act. The appeal will be dismissed for reasons-given, and von will lie allowed two mouths in which to liuike arrinigcmeJits with regard to your place.' 1 Appellant-: "'What about-Julcing up amis J" ■ • v (The Chairman: "Well!'' Appellant: "I cannot do it; 1 musl therefore; do tho next best tiling.'' The Chairman: "Well, wo doubt the military authorities will lis thing.* up for. you; we cannot do anything in the matter- as you do not conic within the section."