MILITARY SERVICE APPEALS

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5501, 18 June 1917, Page 2

MILITARY SERVICE APPEALS

NO. 2 BOARD AT TE AROHA The No. ti Military' Service Board —Messrs F. Earl (chairman), F. tlockly aud A. Rosser—comment ol its monthly sitting at Te Aroha on Saturday morning, when tho following appeals wore dealt with : Alfred Cook, juur., of Morrinsviile, a half-caste member of a Maoii Contingent uow ou active service, was the subject of au appeal by his wife. She asked fot maintenance, as sho was destitute. Tiio chairman explained that tho Bia d could not deal with the matter, but he gave appellant advice ou how to proceed.

Mr Can oil appeared for Peter E. Thomsen, firmer, Maugaiti, whose case hail be :n before the bjard on piovious occasions.

The chairman traversed tho ruliug of the Board last mouth, arrived at o:i the understanding that Thomson world place his farm under the trustee beard’s care.

Mr Out roll said the farm was a difficult one to mauage, but appellant was agreeable to the trustee board taking charge if they could find a suitable manager. Counsel said ho had not communicated with the trustee boar l iu the matter.

Ap[ ollunt described the visit of the trustee hoard, aud said the figures supplied to them then were, ou further investigation, excessive. “Aio you prepared to give power of attorney to the trusteo board and walk off the farm?’’ asked the chairman.

Counsel intimated that appellant w nild not object to that. His hesitancy was largely due to regard for the father’s position, beiug dependent on some return from the farm.

The chairman Wanted to know why the trustee board had not been approached.

Counsel Slid the trustee bou’d had supplied appellant with tlio names of approved men as mauagcis but bad done nothing else. Appellant could not accept tho men offered. It appeared to be a mutual misunderstanding.

Mr Eul sa : d this was the first ease in which they proposed to send a farmer into camp ou tho advice of tho trustee hoard. The latter was willing to supervise the farm. Why had they not been eutrusted with the tisk ? He wanted, to be sure that it was not a case of deliberate obstruction. Filially, it was decided lo confer with the chairman of the trustee board, and give a decision on Monday. J. Shock in, farmer, Manawatu, was represented by Mr Carroll. The appellant had been before the Board ou previous occasions. Counsel said up.nellaut was looking after a soldier io’o' her's farm a few miles away from Lis ow tlinn. Appellant said Lis brother went into camp about March, leaving a * hare-milker on the farm. milker stayed a week aud then turned the cows out, aud they were left uumilked for about a week before neighbors discovered the milker bad gone. The daily stock were all dry now, but by the beginning of ihe milking season someone would have to be put on. 110 did not want a similar experience.

Tho chairman : You are one of a largo family, and we would like to see better representation iu the army. Appellant: Oh, 1 wouldn’t mind going at all. A chap may just as well die them as lure. Mr Rosser : But they don’t all die. You speak iu a very philosophic veiu. You have a wife aud child, so should, not think about dying. Appellant : There are plenty of fathers with bigger families than mine who have snuffed out. The Board decided to confer with the trustee buat d before arriving at a decision. Harold K. Smith. milker Goitl.i.-. was appea’cd for by his father. Mr Gilelm.it at tomb d as counsel. William Smith, the father, said his ■ Lie-C son is now ou active service with the Came! Corps. The second sou had volunteered and been rejected. He is at present laboring, but not on the farm. A third sou is ou active' service in Franco. The fourth, theballot tod man. is aged 20 years aud' two months. The family is nnlkiug" SI cows on shares for Mr John Brady. The sou wai necessary. Mr Hockly—Why cannot tho womenfolk feed the pigs aud 'calves while you take the milk to the factory ? I know of dozens of instances. Appellaut said lie had beeu milking' for over a dozen years, and had uover asked tho womenfolk to feed pigs. It was not a fit task. Continuing; Smith, sent’., said his sou had been rejected from territorial training as a senior cadet, but had uow" passed lit .under the Medical Board. Tho mother was au inmate of a hospital, aud had been for some time. His employer was decidedly averse to tli) use of milking machines. Could not say why. Maybe it was because he hid beeu told a lot of tales against the using of machines. Harold Smith said lie was willing to enlist, and would try to do his bit.

After further enquiry, it was decided to grant an adjournment sine die. on the usual conditions.

Francis 11. lioskiuj, dentist, Matamata. whose case was heard last mouth, wis adjourned for further information, especially ou tho Hues oE public interest, was represented by Mr Bill, who lruilol iu several letters and petitions from Matamata district residents in support. Captaiu Rogers pointed out that members il : I lie local Trustee Board and louUug mm of the Farmers’ Union did nut figure iu the petition. Ho wanted to bo suio the 70 signatories were repios mtalivo of the district. Counsel urged that Hoskiug’s case was on all fours w’i'i that of a case iu Te rU'jhn, but the chairman pointed out that a Mayor and ex-Mayor came forward iu support. Iu Hoskiug’s case the eouuty chairman or liding’ member were uot present, though the former agreed hardship would be caused, but not undue hardship. Captain Rogers agreed that public iuterett at Matamata was not jeopardised. There were four dentists at Rotorua, one each at Te Aroha and Moniusville, aud several at Hamilton. . The Board decided to reserve its decision. Bertram Marx, farmer, Ngarua.— Granted till June 26. Walter W. Dickie, farmer, Walton. —Adjourned for oue month. Fred Moylau, Paeroa, a voluntary recruit, has been classed C2, therefore his wife's appeal was unnecessary. Owen Stauley, farmer, Matamata. —Hearing adjourned till Tuesday. Edward Russell, farmer, Tirau.— Adjourned for one month. Thomas Arthur Joues, solicitor's, clerk, Paeroa, proved he was a Second Division reservist. Albert 11. MeCormiok,'farm assistant, Komata.— Adjourned, sine die. James Gibsou, clerk, Thames, was; grauted till July 26. G. Adams, farmer, Waitakaruru.—. Grauted till July 26.