LEAVE FROM SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16945, 3 September 1918, Page 6

LEAVE FROM SERVICE.

CASES HEARD IN AUCKLAND

RETURN OF SOLDIERS ASKED

The Military Sen-ice Board resumed its sittings yesterday, a feature of the cases dealt with being a number of applications for the return of soldiers now at the front. t An, application for the return of Lieut. Alfred T. Lewis was made by his mother, a widow, who stated that her only other son had been killed in action. Lieut. Leeds had left with the Tunnelling Corps, and had been on service over two years. If he could not be allowed to j return, she asked that lie be removed from the firing line. The board decided to recommond the return of Lieut. Leeds on two months' furlough. Mis. K. Dell made a similar application on behalf of her ion, Corporal John S. Bell, now serving in France. It was stated that' he had served in Samoa and Gallipoli, and had been through the battles of the Somme and Messiiiea. After such a long term of service, in which he had only had two short periods of leave in England, his mother thought he was entitled to some relief from service. She said she would be satisfied if he were onlv taken from the firing-line. The board stated that the recommendation could not be made at the present time, as the soldier was apparently in good health, but the application might be renewed later on. No Recommendation to Make. Mrs. M. McDonnell slated that her husband, now on light dutv at Sling Camp, had been classed as unlit for active service, and she therefore asked that he be permitted to return. He was a motor mechanic by trade, and she thought that he would probably be able to render' better service here by resuming work j than by merely doing light work at Sling Camp. The board decided that as he. was probably doing good service where he i was, no recommendation for his return could be made. Mrs. Burgess, Avondale, applied for the return of her son, Driver Oscar S. Burgess, recently in hospital, and now at the base. She I stated that he was her only son, that his I father was 81 years of age, and that she 1 herself was 73 years old. Oscar had been i over three years on service, and had fought at Gallipoli. The board agreed to' recommend the return of the soldier on I three months' furlough. An appeal for the retention of William I Patrick Bogue, Waiuku, was made by his' father. Witness stated lie and his son! were working a 205-aere property p.t j .Ma Aka, and were milking 45 cows. ! Witness was 70 years of age and unfit to carry on the farm by himself, and j the family was dependent on the son for, the management of the property. There! were altogether five eons, two of whom were on active service. The case was adjourned Until November 6 to see if any. of the other members of the family could | be induced to return to the farm. Exemption until February 5 was granted William Johnston (Mr. Fleming), a straw, j berry grower, with four acres of land containing 72.000 plants. Appelant stated that time was required to attend, to the harvesting and to make arrange-' ments for carrying on the farm. In i granting exemption, the board said that! while strawberry-growing could not be • classed as an essential industry, time should be allowed for appellant to harvest j his fruit. Robert Louis Sharp (Mr. Moss-| man), farm hand, Glenbrook, said ho was the sole worker on a farm of 220 acres, carrying 360 pure-bred sheep. He did all the work on tho property, ploughing and cropping as well as tending the sheep. Appellant had heavy domestic responsibilities, having married a widow with three children, and in addition now had j one of his own. The ease was adjourned in order to secure further evidence from the employer.

Only Man on the Firm. Hariy P. Jeffries, dairy farmer, Wai«ku (Air. Blomfield), asked for total exemption on the ground that he was the only man on his farm of 110 acres. He stated that) lie milked 40 oows and had ' young stock. He-jvas a married man with , two children, and had been 10 years on his farm. It was impossible, he said, to get labour, and he had to do all the work on the farm. He employed a girl to assist with the milking machines. Exemption was granted sine die. Herbert C. Hutchings, classed CI, Mount Eden, appealed on domestic grounds. His wife was suffering from an injury to her leg, and was not in a position to be left alone. The case was adjourned for a further medical certificate. { Kenneth J. Forgie. accountant and ! auditor, was granted leave until January j 23 on business and domestic grounds. i John F. Lornie (Mr. A. E. Skelton), j Mount Eden, a painter and paperhanger, I classed CI. asked for extension of time I to complete contracts with the Hospital Board. Leave until November 21 was granted. John Edward Nicholas, farmer, Howick, appealed for the release of hi* son, John Lindsay Nicholas, who had already been tailed into camp. Tho appellant stated that he and his father had owned and worked their farm of 94 acres for about sixty years, and as his son was the only one now capable of running it. the place would go back if he were taken away. Twenty cows were milked and 30 acres were cropped for oats, potatoes and hay. The appeal was adjourned for inquiry. Hugh Johnston, sawmillei.' and farmer, Alfriston, asked for leave to May next, covering the milking season. He stated that he was the only man on fiis leasehold farm of 30i acres, which rail 14 cows. He did shearing in season. Lewe to February 5 was granted. Exemption to February 5 was allowed in the case of Frederick N. Rhodes, assistant-manager of the Wilsons Portland Cement' works at Whangam. The appeal was lodged by the company, and it was Mated that it was essential* to tho operations of the company that tho assistantmanager should be retained until the completion of certain alterations to the plant.