MILITARY SERVICE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 938, 12 February 1917, Page 11

MILITARY SERVICE.

EXEMPTIONS SOUGHT. CASES IN CHRISTCHURCH. SECOND BOARD'S SITTING. The Second Canterbury Military Service Board, consisting of Messrs 11. W. Bishop, S.M. (chairman), F. T. (Eldridge, and M. ('.. Rich, sat in j Christchurch to-day to hear a numIber of appeals for exemption from military service, from reservists in the Christchurch recruiting district. DISMISSED. Charles Nelson Aiken, printer, 29 Linwood Avenue, appealed on the ground of public interest, undue hardship arising from the fact of his being secretary and managing director of Willis and Aiken, Ltd., printers, and from private financial responsibilities and obligations. In reply to the chairman, he said there were other directors in Hie j company.

The appeal was dismissed. In the adjourned case of William I Stanley Seed dentist,-532 Armagh Street, the chairman said that the board had given full consideration to the appeal and had decided to dismiss it. Mr 11. D. Acland appeared jfor appellant. Stanley William Dunmill, painter, 31 Cornwall Street, St. Albans, represented by Mr Cuningham. stated that his widowed mother was wholly dependent on him, and his sister was partly dependent. He was the onlv son. He also had an invalid grandfather, 83 years old, to look after. It was pointed out that appellant could make an allotment from his pay. . The case was dismissed. Frederick William Mover, a farmer, of Ladbrcok's, said that his! brother and himself were renting a farm of 180 acres, devoted entirely I to cropping and nulling, and all his time was given to looking after it. i There were also financial reasons. The appeal was dismissed, but' time until March 31 was allowed. FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION.

Ernest H. Ballin, dentist. High Street, for whom Mr Hoban appeared, appealed on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. The grounds of the application were that Ballin contributed to the support of Ins mother and sister, and that he had in his employ three persons who would necessarily have to leave if he were called up. The appeal was adjourned to allow appellant to be medically examined. i An extension of time to make arrangements for his absence from his business was sought by Otto Lewis Ballin, cordial manufacturer, of Naseby Street, for whom Mr Hunter appeared. The appeal was adjourned for medical examination. A SURPRISING DOCUMENT.

Arthur Lindsay Mitchell, bank clerk, 74 River Road, Avonside, represented by Mr C. E. Salter, asked for an extension of time to enable him to arrange for the guardianship of his youngest brother, 12 vears old, until his mother returned from England, where she is visiting her husband, Chaplain-Major Mitchell, and a brother on sick leave.

Mr Salter said appellant had received leave from the district attesting office until May 31, but another couple of months was desired. The leave certificate -was produced. The chairman said he was surprised at it. If it were valid it was simply going behind the board. He would have the matter looked into, to see what value the certiiicatc had. The case was adjourned accordingly, until further notice. Later in the sitting, Captain Smith, who had signed the leave pass in question, appeared before the board and explained that the pass was issued by a mistake, through one of the papers connected with the medical examination of the appellant in- j dicaling that the man was a volun- j leer.

Captain Smith then altered the leave pass, making the leave "until further orders." The case was then adjourned until to-morrow. REFRIGERATING COMPANY'S SECRETARY. The New Zealand Refrigerating] Company, Ltd., appealed for the j exemption of William Orr Campbell, secretary and public ofiicer of the company, on the ground of j public interest. Mr G. Harper, who appeared for the appellant company, stated that! Campbell had enlisted voluntarily, ] being perfectly willing to go, but had been rejected as medically un- j fit. He had now been passed, hawever, by the Medical Board as lit for! active service.

I William Murray, general man- | ager of the company, said that the ! company owned and controlled six refrigerating works. The collective output of these represented a value of well over £2,000,000. At present there were approximately 1500 men in the company's staff. The control of the clerical staff and the direct control of the works staff had been for some years in Mr Campbell's hands, Mr Campbell being, in effect, assistant manager in New Zealand. The company had been training several of its most promising young men for the more important positions, but these were all at the front. The exigencies of the business frequently required witness's absence from Christchurch, and the presence of Mr Campbell was necessary to the control of the office. Mr Campbell's position-was one that required considerable training. Witness pointed out that the company was now almost entirely engaged in Imperial work. The company had lost its third, fourth, ami fifth officers. At the present time the company had no one it could put in Mr Campbell's I position.

To Captain Spratt (military representative): Mr Campbell's duties were not secretarial. So far as his secretarial and public office duties were concerned the board would have no compunction in transferring them, but Mr Campbell was really assistant manager for New Zealand. H. A. Knight, chairman of directors of the company, gave similar evidence. Mr Campbell's services, he said, were absolutely essential to the company. It was a question of public interest, due to the Imperial Government commandeering meat, and not a matter of consideration for the shareholders. The board dismissed the appeal, Mr Campbell not to be called up before March 31. A RELIGIOUS OBJECTOR. Joseph Linton, a labourer, of 138 Sherborne Street, a religious objec-

[or, whose case had first come before the board on February 2, when it had been adjourned for medical examination,' again came before the board, he having been passed as fit. In reply to the chairman, appellant said he objected, as a Christian, to taking life, fie belonged to no particular denomination. He had volunteered for ambulance work, but had then been rejected as unfit. The chairman pointed out that appellant did not ccme within the religious objectors' section.

The appeal was dismissed, but appellant was granted leave until : March 31. OVER AGE. i Winton John Coles, an estate i agent, of 2.")G Wilson's Road, Lin- | wood, produced a birth certificate I showing that he was over military I age, and his appeal was allowed accordingly. A certificate of birth showing that !he is over age being produced, the appeal of Frank Evans Merry, of Kerr's Road, Avonside, whose only son is in the 2i)lh Reinforcement, was allowed. A SLAUGHTERMAN'S APPEAL. It was on the grounds of his occupation and of undue hardship, be having an aged mother and father to support wholly, that Charles Norman Anderson, a slaughterman and I shearer, of Hazelhurst, Prebbleton, appealed. Mr Harper appeared for appellant, who is employed by the New Zealand Refrigerating Company. The appeal was adjourned sine die, provided appellant remains in his present employment. ADJOURNED SINE DIE.

John Alexander Crawford, farmer, Yaldhurst, for whom Mr Mallcy appeared, said that he owned 05 acres, subject to mortgage, and intensely cultivated. He also helped his father on 50 acres adjoining. One brother ; had enlisted and was now in Trance, and another had enlisted and been" rejected. The father had another farm at Belfast, where there was also a farm belonging to a brother. To Captain Spratt, appellant said his brother had gone with the sth Reinforcement. A brother of the previous appellant, James McKee Crawford, a farmer at Belfast, who had also been drawn in the ballot, had also pealed, but Mr Maiiey said that the family would allow that appeal to I go. The board adjourned John Alexander Crawford's appeal sine die, j provided he remains in his present i employment. MENTAL HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS

Dr Gribben, medical superintendent of the Sunnyside Mental Hosj pital, appealed for exemption of two I of the senior attendants at the hosI pital, Herbert Hughes and Roland | Johnson. He stated that at present he was six men short, and was ex- | periencing great ditlieulty in getting men. He pointed out the need for experienced senior attendants. The number of patients was close on 700. After Dr Gribben had placed before the board the difficulties he had to contend with, and the responsibilities the senior attendants had to carry, the board adjourned the appeals sine die, provided the two reservists remain in their present occupation. ONE OF TWELVE. The hardship alleged in the case of Patrick McDrury, 21 years old, a farm labourer, of Ladbiook's, was that he was the oldest of a family of 12, and his- father—oo odd years old —was unable to work, as the result of an accident. Mr Malley appeared for appellant. In reply to questions, the father of the appellant said that he had six boys and six girls. The next oldest boy was 17 years old. The farm was j of 130 acres. The appellant was finite willing to go. The appeal was dismissed, but leave until March 31 was granted. HOME SERVICE MEN.

The list for to-day's sitting also included appeals from Harry B. Abbott, boatman, London Street, Lyttelton; Robert 11. Broadbelf, iron moulder, 98 Fitzgerald Avenue; Joseph Dawson, slaughterman, 34 Bath Street; William I.ongdin, forwarding agent, 112 Durham Street; Alfred J.\\lcGerty, clerk, 77 Osborne Street, Liuwood; Edward M. McKenna, land and house agent, North New Brighton; and Joseph L. Pearce, stationer's assistant, Western Terrace, Beckenham. However, as these men had been passed as fit for home service only, their appeals were dismissed, as Lhey will not be called up for active service.

The appeal of Joseph Foss, a labourer, of 23 Berry Street, was dismissed. TIME SOUGHT. An extension of time was sought by Cecil Gordon Husband, a foreman carpenter, of Knowles Street, St. Albans, represented by Mr Harper. Appellant had enlisted on April 20, 11)15, and been rejected as unfit. He had afterwards tried to get away in the Army Service Corps, without medical examination, but had not succeeded. Then he had built a house and had married, and had incurred financial obligations. He desired an extension of time to allow him to sell his house and settle his affairs.

After the board had considered, in camera, the question of recommending financial relief to this appellant, the appeal was dismissed, but appellant was allowed until March 31.