CALLED TO THE FLAG

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9869, 15 January 1918, Page 7

CALLED TO THE FLAG

NEW APPEALS SITTING OF THIRD WELLINGTON . BOARD. Thirty-seven/ new appeals, wpre down for hearing yesterday at the first sit-ting-for the New Year of the Third Wellington Military Sprvice Board — Messrs- W. S- Moorhouse (chairman), M. J. Mack,'and A. O. Gonsidine. Captain. Baldwin appeared as. military representative. Mr J. M, TroUp (head of the Christadelphian Brotherhood) appeared on behalf of Norman Robert Alderson (clerk, Y.M.C.A., Dunedin), a Christadelphiaa, who objected to military service on religious grounds. The appeal was allowed. FIRE BRIGADE-MAN GETS EXTENDED LEAVE. Superintendent Tate, of the Wellington City Fire Brigade, appealed in respect of Alfred E- J. Jeifrics (tire brigade-man, Newtown), who also lodged a person appeal for extended leave on family grounds. Superintendent Tate said that the brigade was three men short, and they had considerable difficulty in suitable men. The case was adjourned for a further three months. DIFFICULTIES OF STATE FIRE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. An employer’s appeal was lodged in the case of Kenneth Burns Bain (manager, State Fire Insurance Office, Taranaki). The case had been adjourned for the purpose of the- department finding a substitute, but Mr O. R. C. Robieson (general manager of tho department) said that it was impossible to secure a substitute edher for this branch or another.' Out of 55 men in tho head office before the war, he added, only’ nineteen were now left; and six of these were medical rejects and two returned men, while their business was 31 per cent, greater thart before the war. If the State Fire Office was not operating fully in the Taranaki district, producers would not, bo able to got “cover” for produce m cold storage. They could not get “cover” from private insurance companies, because these companies had already reached and surpassed their limit. " If the producers could get “cover,” it would greatly hamper them financially. The department had six main branches in the Dominion, besides the head office, and 458 agencies. Mr Alack: “Haven’t you taken on others to replace the thirty-sis men who have left?” Alb’ Ro-bioson: “We have a bigger staff than before the war. We have taken on fifty-four altogether, mostly girls and half-trained employees.” By Captain Baldwin: “We havo filled tip to the limit with temporary men.” The case was adjourned to the 23rd inst. IRREPLACEABLE WOOLLEN EXPERTS. An employer’s appeal "-was made on respect of Horace Blacker (woollen fettler or carder) and William Lang-

ridge (woollen spinner), both in the employ of the Wellington Woollen Company, Petone. . Mr A. W. . Blair, who appeared for the company, , said that the industry was an essential'one, the company had a number of Government contracts on hand, and rtho two men appealed for were experts and could not - be replaced. ■ - ■ ' - - Mr Johns (secretary to the company) said that it took eight years or more to train iinep for uie t /work of carding wool; and, as a matter, of fact, they had generally to import the men. If they lost the two men -in question, they could not carry on. conference of the woollen companies had recently been held to sec if they, could not' help one another in the matter of experts, but there was no possibility of doing so. The company now had two carders only, instead of live before the war; and three spinners, ■ instead of six. The three spinners had now to look after seven pairs of “mules,” or fourteen machines in all. The 1 Eoslyn and Ivaiapoi mills and their own mills were practically fully employed on Government work. Both cases were adjourned for three months. COPPERSMITHS SCARCE. ■ John Thomas Cowan (coppersmith, Wellington) appealed for exemption, as also did his employer (Mr- Hutch). The case was adjourned for three months to enable Sir Dutch to replace Cowan, who had enlisted, but no competent man could he secured. Mr Dutch stated that Cowan was employed mainly on “most essential” work, repair-work for ocean-going steamers. Practically all the steamers coming into port required somo repairs to their steam-pipes, etc., and there was more than enoiigh to keep all the . six coppersmiths in Wellington busy. The case was adjourned for three months. - ■ • THREE BROTHERS AT THE FRONT. Ernest G. Orsboru (milkman, Wellington), a married man with a family, stated that he had three brothers fighting at the front. His father suffered from a nervous breakdown, and his mother appealed for an exemption, so that he could help her to look after him. The case was adjourned for three months. • BOOTMAKER EXEMPTED. Messrs George and Doughty, trading as the Dominion Boot Co., appealed for an exemption in respect of Timothy Harold Langley, manager of their factory. Mr A. W. Blair, who appeared for the appellants, stated that Langley had six brothers at the front and three others, engaged in war work at Home. Langley was classed as Cl. Mr George stated that out of a staff of 18 men, 16 had gone to the front, so that they had. had to replace all but two. This was the first man they had appealed for. He was absolutely essential to the factory, being a skilled “clicker” as well as manager. The case was adjourned sine die. CASE OF A GUNSHOT WOUND. In the case of David Behan (tea merchant, Wellington), the board recommended that he be re-examined. The appellant stated that ho had euhsted, but was turned down as physically unfit. Later, however, he was classed •as Cl. The unfitness was the result of a gunshot wound in the hand. He was perfectly willing to serve, but he wanted to save his business-afl much as

possible; and, therefore he was anxious not to bo sent into camp only to be turned out again.

ONE BROTHER KILLED AND ONE WOUNDED.

The father of Rifleman Charles Harris (details, Trentham) appealed for exemption for his son. Mr Martin iLuckie said that the appellant was a 'small dairy-farmer ■at Pahautanui. One brother of the lad in camp had been killed at the front and another wounded, and Charles was “the last man on the farm.” The father was old and infirm, and two daughters were now doing all the milking. The chairman pointed out that the appeal had been lodged too late for an exemptionappeal. The board, however, adjourned the case for. three months. SUNDRY APPEALS. Three months’ exemption was granted to Win. Joseph Potts (publisher “N.Z. Truth” (Wellington), at present in Ci Camp. , The appeal of John Shell (warehouseman, Lower Hutt), the sole support of his widowed mother and two young brothers, was further adjourned for two months. Oscar A. B. Browne (factory manager, Upper Hutt), carrying on business for nis mother and two brothers, both on active service, was granted a further adjournment of throe months. James Cairns Heggie, sheep-farmer Lower Hutt (a Second Division man), said that he had been able to sell his freehold, bub wished for an extension of leave in order to dispose of Uia Stock. Leave till April Ist was grant* ed. Charles F. C. Tasker (senior apgrentice to marine engineering, Lower hitt) appealed for exemption, and his employer (Mr David Robertson) also appealed. An adjournment for tnreo months was granted. Private A. Hi. C. McKay (voluntarv recruit), of Lowe r Hutt, was granted leave till April 2nd. Air P. AA r . Jackson appeared tor Walter Herbert Garhutt (taxi-driver, AA’ellington), who appealed on the ground that, being an American citizen, he .was not a Reservist. Mr D. M. Findlay, who had been in the chair when the case was first hoard, being away ill, the. appeal was adjourned till to-morrow. David Sullivan (driver, Island Bay) applied for time to enable him to dispose of his wagon and three horses. Leave was allowed till February l.ftli. W. M. Jackson, jun. (carpenter, Lower Hutt), was granted an adjournment to the first sitting in February for family reasons.