EXEMPTION APPEALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16443, 20 January 1917, Page 8

EXEMPTION APPEALS.

TRIBUNAL AT HAMILTON APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN. SOME EXCEPTIONAL CASES. [m TELEOBAPH;—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Friday. The sittings of the Auckland Military Service Board were continued to-day. Appeals by tho following were withdrawn:—Hugh Sandford Blackraan, clerk, Hamilton; Louis Percy Hopkins, farmer, Matapuna; Gerald Bernard White, farm manager, Pirongia; Lawrence Tolholph, farmer, Ahuroa; James S. Balemi, dairy farmer, Kauroaj Esau Samuel Woolley, farm labourer, Rukuhia; Norman Howard Watkins, storekeeper and fanner, Te Mata j Stanley Howard, farmer and chaffcutter, Whangamarino; William Henry Bennison, dairy farmer, Waerengaj and Nathaniel Frederick Andrews, Aotea. Appeals were dismissed in the cases of Fred Challengen, carpenter, of Te Awamutu, and William South, shearer, of Te Kuiti, who failed to appear. Temporary Exemption. Tho following were granted time to arrange business mid financial obligations :— Percy Bertram Holmes, farmer and beekeeper, Pukeatna; Ernest Bcrtenshaw Hansen, farmer, Haku; Alexander Munro Thompson, carpenter, Taumarunui; Richard Wilton Goodman, farm manager, Rotoluna; Peter Mackay Cowan, storekeeper, Kakahi j Hedloy Victor Bashaw, contractor, Te Kuiti; and Claude Thomas Robinson, dairy farmer, Rimanui. A Hindoo appealed on the ground that fighting was against the tenets of las religion. Though he said he was a Brahmin, he took the oath on tho Bible. It was obvious the appellant was blind in the right eye, and the appeal was allowed. Working Two Farms. Harold Frederick Robinson, farmer, Oparau Valley, appealed on the ground of undue hardship. He stated that he and a brother were working two farms, five orothers being in partnership. Two brothers were now overseas, and the third was just of military ago, and had gone into camp. Both properties wore mortgaged heavily, and were on the market. If one farm was sold the appellant would enlist. The case was adjourned for three months. ' ... Alexander Gordon, of Marakopa, intimated he had been returned from camp twice on account of the state of h« health. Tho case was adjourned till next sitting, the appellant to be examined by tho Medical Board. William John Mills, sheet-metal worker, of To Kuiti, appealed on the ground that ho was engaged in an essential industry. His employer, D. A. Young, requested an extension of two months to enable him to tide over tho dairying season. Mills stated that another brother had been called up, and was not appealing, two sisters were living at home, and he thought it would be a hardship upon his mother if both sons were taken, though she was independent of them. David Young gave evidence regarding the difficulty of obtaining competent workers. Hi said the industry was esseoU tplylKWco»l», witness said he wK? aware that appellant had absolutely refused to enlist when urged by a M i ß hTbowd° r the appeal, but wanted an extension to February -28. 8 Peter Bertram Churcher, farmer, of Piopio, deposed that ho was working his fat's fium of 1050 acres, his father Sg unable to work. One brother was in camp. Appellant said he had volunteered, but was rejected on account of eyesight. He asked for total exemption, u he was practically bland in the right ey The -board expressed the opinion that the case was one for exceptional treatment, and granted exemption on condition that the appellant remained in to present position.

Exempted Until "Brothers' Return. James Edward Dromgool, farmer, of Waikoria, said his aged parents were dependent upon him- Two brothers were serving in the Expeditionary Force, and the appellant had volunteered, but was declared medically unfit. Exemption was granted until the brothers' return. Mr. Moresby, solicitor, appealed for a rehearing in the case of W. W. Robson, farmer and dealer, which was heard at Paeroa, on the grounds that the executors of the estate of Robson's father were anxious to retain his sen-ices until satisfactory arrangements were made in the interests of the family. Robson had been granted extension to February 17, and now asked for extension to the end of

April. The board decided to treat the case as exceptional, and granted an extension to March 11, but "stated that the decision must not be regarded as creating a precedent, as it was due only to the unusual circumstances. The sittings were adjourned till Tuesday.

METHODIST OET7BOH POLICY. MINISTERS WATTING FOR CALL. [BT TEXEQRAFH.--OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WANGANUL Friday. The attitude taken up by the president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand and by the Auckland district synod that no appeal should be made by the Church on behalf of any minister or home missionary called up under the Military Service Act was approved by the quarterly meeting of the Trinity Methodist Circuit, held in Wanganui last evening. The Rev. T. G. Hammond, a veteran minister, said that this was a fight of right against might and, in the circumstances, no section of tho community had a right to suggest that other sections should fight for its liberties while it was exempt from service and sacrifice. On this coast a number of Methodist ministers were waiting their call in the ballot, and were quite prepared to undertake military duties when called upon. Superannuated ministers would no doubt come forward to fill the breaches till the war was over and the allied victory attained.