APPEALS AGAINST SERVICE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14195, 12 January 1917, Page 7

APPEALS AGAINST SERVICE.

SOUTHLAND OASES. (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, last night. Before the Military Service Board today Arthur Leslie Franks appealed on the grounds of undue hardship. He said one brother had been killed in i Gallipoli, and the only other brother was 13 years of age. His father was 60, and able to do light work only. — The appeal was dismissed. John McLeaay said he had been medi•cally examined, and the appeal was withdrawn. Henry MoConachie appealed on behali of Athol Roy McConachie, and asked for three months' exemption. He was appellant's only son. Witness had a printing business and employed one other lad besides his son, who was his right-hand man and whose assistance was absolutely necessary. — Leave granted till April 1. James Henry Boniface, farmer ot Gorge road (31) said he had farmed 51 acres for 10 years. He was married last August. He milked 10 cows and grazed cattle for neighbors. He had three brothers. His mother and father lived at Riverton, and the father was engaged oni a sawmill. 'Otoe brother was killed at the front and two others were married and one was single. Witness had back debts to meet and was delicate. — James D. Shepherd, chairman of the Gorge /Road Recruiting Committee, gave evidence; to the effect that appellant could' .easily go .to the front. He had bought cows, etc., for the purpose of dodging military service. — The appeal was dismissed. Wm. W. Millar, Invercargill (25) said he had two brothers in the second division yahd two at the Avar. He asked for leave till the end of April. — Dismissed. Leav^; to March 1 was granted. Owen Ghur.ton appealed on grounds of undue hardship. — Wm. A. Brown, ot Brown Bros., feUmongers, said he employed appellant, who was a woolsorter. Six of lixrs men were at the front, and four woolsorters were left. ' If appellant went he would probably be unable to repla.ee him. About the 20th he would start pn. Government wool, which would take about six months to sort and scour. — 'Wm, Slaughter, Inspector of Factories, said, he had had no applications from farmers for labor for the past two j months, and had not known if there | were men and boys available. In bis j last report he had said that the labor scarcity was not serious. He thought hi. department was well known to the farmj ers, and they would probably come to i him if they wanted labor. He had j never had inquiries for woolsorters and no complaints of a shortage of labor f rom iellmongens, although he had visited two during the last few months. He had never been to Brown Bros.'. Shearing was cut out earlier in the North Island, and classers and sorters released, and if they knew there was work here they would come • south. If fellmongers had complained to witness of shortage of sorters no doubt he could have got men from the north. — The appeal was dismissed. Geo Morton, dairy farmer, said he had two married brothers engaged in farming; One other left the farm and went to the war. Hip father was 70 years of age. Appellant had not tried to got away. His brothers could only j manage their own farms.— Appellant's father said if his son went away he would have to dispose of the farm, as he could not work it/ His two daughters could do .the milking, but he did not think $ie oould get labor. It was a bush farm, and a boy would be no good on it, or a woman either. — James Shephard, chairman of the Gorge Road Recruiting Obmniittee, said ha had worked under worse conditions than .those ruling on Monton's farm. He j thought they could manage with ojitside ; help. The appeal was dismissed, but appellant was allowed till April to make arrangements. - FIVE BROTHERS WITH THE FORCES. James "Bradshaw said he had five brothers serving with the forces. He , himself had enlisted and had been • turned down. His mother and sisters were dependent on him, as the only remaining brother .was only 16 .years ot '• age.- ■■•-'■"■•"**' - Y Mr Widdowson (to Captain Free) : Do you want to ask him anything? — No, sir. Do you want to compliment him ?— No. They speak for .themselves, sir. The case was adjourned sine die, the ' appeal being allowed. The appeal of Alex Geddea was allow-' 1 ed, appellant proving that he was over age. A CASUAL APPELLANT. James Henry Barlow,, grocer, of • In--1 vercargiil, said he had two "brothers -at the front, and one at home. He asked ■ for about three months on account of 1 financial difficulties. Appellant : I'm broke, so it does not 1 matter much. -, Captain Free: Would you be satisfied with one month? i "Oh, just please yourself," answered i appellant. "I want about three months to fix up, get married, and attend to one_ or two other-* things. I could not do it in the grocery business, but I will do it when with the Government." Tlie appeal was dismissed. Appellant , was allowed till March to make ar- , rangoments. Percy Emanuel Holtz, of Inveroargill, i appealed on the grounds of undue hard- - ship. He presented, a statement show- ' ing his financial position gjid asked for six months' exemption. Jle was study - ; ing infantry drill and attending classes,po if the six months were granted he | could go into camp on the best basis possible. He had .two brothers — one over military age and the other about , 45. Appellant was 33 years of age, and was married.— The Board said it ; was sympathetic, but the. Act was there, ; and it had to be administered. The appeal would be dismissed. Pierce) Prendergast, of Invercargill, r naid his parents were dependent on 5 him. His father was 71 and very -weak and his mother was in her 60th year. Appellant was a tctlegraphist, and wanted to get away as such with the forces, i a s he would then get half -pay from the k Department. One brother had enlisted! . and was now in eamp. His younger . brother was still at school. A third I brother was a cadet telegraphist, also , in the ballot.—^Appeal dismissed. ; Donald White, of Wildbush, farm , laborer, said he worked on his father's . farm of 400 acres, which included ,50 i acres of oats and 30 of turnips. They I had about 80 head of cattle and milked I 30 cows, sending the milk to a factory. > They also ran sheep. His parents were in fair health and worked on the farm. His brother was in camp, and one brother was married and on his own ( farm. His youngest brother was still ot ; school. He had two sisters away from , home. He had enlisted, but his parents , prevented him going as they could not , do without him twelve months ago. He . was willing to go after harvest. — Ap- . peal dismissed, appellant to be called , up on April 1. James Allan Whitelock, of Tihaka, said his brothers were three married and one aged' 16 at home. Efts parents , were old. He milked 10 cows on a , farm. Appellant had not enlisted as [ he had weak eye-sight and his mother was seriously ill.— Exemption granted, conditionally on appellant remaining in * the same occupation. ' SAWMILLING INDUSTRY. V Pearoe George Bridgeman, sawmiller, } of Pourakino, was appealed for by his , employers on the ground that the indus. , try was an essential one 1 . — .Tames Moore, 1 jun., the employer, said his mills -were . lin the Longwood Ranges, 12 miles fit m /Riverton. He had lost 16 men throngl [ the war. If the present appellant went j he would have to fill his place with an I incompetent man and accidents would be more likely to happen. He had had several accidents during the last six j months through having to employ, inexperienced men. Bridgeman was fore-

man of one! of the mills, and one of ' the sawyers. — Thomas Byrne, secretary of the Sawmillers' ancl Woodworkers Association gave evidence as to scarcity of sawyers. About 500 members of the union had gone to the front. — Captain Free suggested that as the mills were only a mile apart and trade had gone off one team could work the two mills alternately and thus replace one body .of men "for the other. The work of only one sawyer would then be required. — The Board said the first question was whether the industry was essential, and 1 -* the other question was whether the mill could get along without appellant. The evidence showed that the mill was only running half time and the Board thought Captain Free'si suggestion was a feasable one. Of course, sawyers were essential to the industry, but in this case it did not consider that appellant would be indispensable. — The appeal was dismissed. ALLEGED UNDUE HARDSHD?. Tom Todd, of Pukemaori, farmer, said he farmed 200 acres and carried sheep and cattle. He had enlisted twice and had been turned down as only fit for home service — Appeal adjourned for three months. Patrick Francis Clifford said he had not enlisted in tho interests of his parents. — Case adjourned sine die. Robert Wm. Williams, farmer, said he had one brother wounded, one at the front, and a third, aged 17 years, in an office. — Case adjourned sine die conditionally on his remaining on the farm. Ernest Victor Shirley, sawmill hand, of Colao, asked for three months. — Dismissed. Richard Sinnington, farmer, of Isla Bank, was allowed till April 1. Jas. Kirkpatrick, farmer, of Wttirio, i asked for time as his work was behind. — Dismissed. Jas. Fraser, ironmonger, of Invercargill, said he had seven brothers. Six were married and his single brother was at Trentham. None of the married ■ brothers could contribute to their parents' support. — Case dismissed. Roderick McDonald, farmer, of Otapiri, appealed on the grounds of undne hardship. He had a farm of 430 acres. He and his brother had tossed up who was to go and the brother won. Appellant was willing to go if the Board thought he was not doing his share. — Exemption granted till May 1. Frank Edward Preston, slaughterman, of Ocean Beach, appealed on grounds that his enlistment was contrary to the public interest.— Upheld so long as appellant is engaged in his present occupation. BACHELOR, WHO OWNS RACEHORSES. John Bruce Thomson, manager for Thomson and Co., Inveroargill, appealed oh grounds of undue hardship. He stated that he was single. The members of the hrpi were 'four cousins, two single and two married. He had no brothers. He would like to go to the front, but his time' was very fully occupied by hia business. He had seven or eight racehorses and a half interest in another. He had five in training at the present time. He took an active interest in racing, but only with his own horses. No business time was frevoted to racing. He had never attended a meeting in the North Island and only eight or twelve in the South Island. During the last 12 months his firm had been supplying the troopships with aerated waters and cordials. If the Invercargill branch closed down, after the war no essential' industry would be effected,, only the employees. A new plant wasi half - erected. Already one member had enlisted^ 12 months ago. —Geo. Thomson, managing director of the firm, said appellant was indispensable because of his knowledge of manuf ac>turing. The branch at Invercargill could be closed, but the firm had taken fifty years to build up the business. The reason for appealing was hot because the firm was afraid of losing a little money.— Decision reserved, _ Conditional exemptions were granted in the following cases :—^-Phillip John Hellyer, dairy farmer, of Woodlands ; Michael R. J. Flanagan, farmer, Abel Bush; John Thomson Cunningham, farmer, Pine Bush; Donald Wm, Campbell, butcher, Lime Hills ; Angus Smith, farmer, Makarewa ; Wm. Thomas Fairburn, surfaceman Menzies' Ferry;, Jas, Winter,' farmer, Menzies'. Ferry j'AVthur Grey , farmer, Titirod ; Jas. Alex. Doddg, farmer, Wairio ; Wm. ; Jas. Johnson; farmer, Eastern Bush v ; The following appeals were' dismissed : —Joseph Forde, farmer, Woodlands ; ' Allan Robertson Kylasp sawmill hand, Lochiel; Ernest Duncan Sinclair, farmer; Alex. ; Edwardsy farmer, Centre Bush; Wm. MoElhenny, laborer, Edendale.. The following cases were adjourned :— • John Mann, blacksmith,YWallacetown ; David Eric ■ Summers, 7cheesemaker, Edendale ; Jas. Chambers; farm manager, Metrrivale. Time yras granted to Albert Edward Howden, dairy farmer, Mataura Island; Thos. Neil, cheesemaker. Pine Bush; and Francis H. McGiilivray, dairy farmer, Thornbury. Robfc. Finlay son and Walter 'Hinds.' appeal on ground of over age was upheld. — — .