ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9539, 22 December 1916, Page 2

ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES

QUESTION OF EXEMPTION FROM MILITARY SERVICE. Press Association. AUCKLAND, December 21. That it is the duty of empolyers .•> appeal for exemption from military service of workers in essential industries who may be called un or who volunteer for atcive service was definitely land down to-day by" the Acting-Prime Minister and by the Hon. A M. Myers. Both Ministers were questioned on tho point, more particularly in view of the discussion upon it which took place at Huntly on Wednesday last at the sitting of the Military Service Board. There was some controversy as to ■whether in the case of a coalminer tho man himself or his employer should make the appeal for exemption. “1 look upon it as the duty of the employer in coalmining or any other essential industry which must be kept going, to attach the ‘Gazette’ lists of names of men called up by ballot and send in an appeal in every case of an employee whom ho considers is needed in the industry,” said Mr Allen. “We have given employers the necessary authority under the Act to do this, and I invite them carefully- to watch tho lists and if anv of thvir employees arc drawn to exercise their own discretion, and if they deem the services of those men urgently required to send in notice of appeal.” Tho Government was anxious to avoid unnecessary appeals: at tho some time it wanted, to give full opportunity for exemption appeals for men employed in essential industries to he sent in. With this object authority had been given the secretax-ies of labour unions to appeal on behalf of balloted men who might have no definite employer, such as ships’ firemen and cooks, seamen, slaughtermen, and shearers. In such cases union secretaries were looked upon as employers for the purposes of appeal.