BALLOT APPEALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23808, 8 November 1940, Page 6

BALLOT APPEALS

FRIVOLOUS EXCUSES TYPICAL INSTANCES COMMENT BY MINISTER EMPLOYERS' CO-OPERATION [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON, Thursday Further reference to the question of appeals against being called up for territorial service was made to-day by the Minister of National Service, the Hon. 11. Semple. "As I have previously stated," said the Minister, "appeals have been received from or on behalf of nearly 50 per cent of the men called up in the first ballot. Although I personally have nothing whatever to do with the allowing or dismissing of them, .1 have informed myself regarding the nature of the appeals being made. By far the greater proportion of them are based on reasonable grounds, -but no inconsiderable number can best be described as frivolous, and 1 am sure the manpower committees will give them short shrift. Assistance for Landlady "There was an instance of a man wishing to spend several months' visit to relatives before going into camp. Another asked to have his service postponed in order that he might assist his landlady in connection with a prospective move to other premises. A third wished to "purchase a car and obtain a driving licence, which he appeared to think would assist him in his military career. Those that I have quoted are, of course, extreme instances, but there are hundreds of cases where it is obvious no real effort has been made to meet comparatively trivial inconveniences which would arise from the absence of the recruit, which, after all, is only for a period of three months. Requests quite Justified "I must, however, give credit where it is due, and that is to a great number of employers who have refrained from appealing on behalf of their employees, even at the expense of some disorganisation of business and loss to themselves," added the Minister. "Most of the employers' appeals which have been received are in respect of men in key positions and are quite justified. When such is the case, short postponements are being given to permit of arrangements being made to release the men concerned at a later date."

A WOMAN'S EXAMPLE NORTHLAND CASES THE POSITION OF FARMERS [bt telegraph—own correspondent] WHAXGAREI, Thursday Appeals dealt with by the Northland Manpower' Committee sitting at Whangarei to-day were mainly from farmers or farm employees. Generally postponement of service was granted until April. A number of the men concerned said they had joined up with units of the Home Guard and were attending parades. A widow farming in the Whangarei district appealed on behalf of, her only son now at home. She said her husband had died when her family was young and she had brought up her two sons and five daughters. Her daughters were now all married and one son was with the forces in Egypt. She, with her only remaining son t was milking a herd of 40 cows. Her son was also operating his brother's farm contracting plant, and when her son was busy with this work she alone carried on the farm. She asked that the committee postpone the calling up of her son until April, when she thought she could carry on alone. This was granted. "I think that this woman's evidence bears out my statement at the last sitting when I spoke of the splendid work of the women of this country in assisting in the war effort," said the deputychairman, Mr. W. Jones.

In another case the appellant said he and his partner in a 1150-acre farm had tossed to see who would go to the war. The partner had won the toss and was now with the forces, leaving appellant to control the farm. A man who was appealing for his son said he had. only two boys. One was in the Air Force and one was required to manage a large farm. "If I was 15 years younger the boy would be in Egypt by now," said the father Another appellant said that he was trying to sell his farm so that he could go to the war. Ho said that ,in 10 years since taking up the farm he had had 710 longer than one week's holiday.

ESSENTIAL SERVICE WATERSIDE workers DECISION IN WELLINGTON [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESc? ASSOCIATION*] "WELLINGTON, Thursday Tho principle that grade A waterside workers are to bo deemed an essential part of the Dominion's war organisation was emphasised by the chairman of the Wellington Manpower Committee, when appeals by tho Waterfront Controller from tho requirements of Territorial training with respect to-12 members of tho union camo up to-day. The controller, Captain Vandenberg, said it was essential to keep the waterfront industry going. They had lost 100 freezing men in tho first three echelons. Ho would appeal, lie said, for all waterside workers to bo exempted. It was a closed union and tho industry was a most essential one. Tho chairman of tho committee, Mr. M. Luckie, said tho industry had a right to appeal regardless of whether the men concerned wanted to go to camp or not. No technicalities should be allowed to stand in the way. All grade A men who were an essential part of the industry should be' given adjournments sine die. A college master who appealed on the ground that a serious position would arise if the education system was not fully maintained was met by the remark that the position would be much more serious if there was an invasion without trained fighting men to meet it. A personal appeal was dismissed, but the appeal of an employing authority was met to the extent that appellant would not be called up before December Z.« -