MILITARY SERVICE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4544, 4 March 1942, Page 5

MILITARY SERVICE

ARMED FORCES APPEAL BOARD. OTOROHANGA SITTING The No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board held a sitting at Otorohanga on Monday afternoon. Mr S. Lewis . (acting-ehairman) presided, and had associated with him Mr A. E. Manning, M.8.E., and Mr Robert Coulter. Mr J. D. Seymour appeared as counsel for the Crown. J. H. Dean appealed for his two sons, Winston Joseph Dean and Colnr* David Dean, both employed on his , farm. Appellant stated that he was 63 years old, and was unfit for more than light work on* the farm, which was of 950 acres of fairly hilly country near Otorohanga and carried 70 dairy cows, 670 wethers, 850 ewes, 750 lambs and 150 head of cattle. About 300 acres, on account of its broken nature, was top-dressed by hand. This year 4010 sheep were shorn in the shed on the property. The chairman asked whether or not seasonal labour could be procured for work on the farm, but appellant stated that, owing to the distance from Otorohanga, and the absence of the electric power, it would be a very hard job to do so.— A sine die adjournment was granted. Thomas Keith Harnett appealed for himself and his brother, Laurence Leonard Harnett. Of his five brothers three were already serving with the Armed Forces, while another, 16 years of age, was not eligible for service. ■ The chairman: That is an excellent reqord for any family. Continuing, appellant said that the property of 630 acres, near Otorohanga, carried 90 milking cows and 1000 sheep. They were both prepared to enter the Armed Forces if the Board considered it the'r duty to do so. If, however, either left the farm, it would mean selling the herd. The Board adjourned the case sine die. Sidney Leonard Stock, of Maihiihi, stated that he was a sharemilker employed for the past six years by Mrs Willcox on a property of 228 acres, on which 120 cows were being milked. He did the milking, assisted by an 18-year-old brother, who was inexperienced. He had one brother in the Territorials. Provided his employer could release him and obtain other labour, he was prepared to enter the Forces. The Board decided to adjourn the appeal till the June hearing, when it will be reviewed. G. W. L. Palmer, whose address was given as Narrow Neck, Auckland, asked leave to withdraw his appeal for his son, Robert William Palmer, farmer, and Mr J. F. Trapski stated that the appellant would endeavour to carry on his farm as much as possible without the help of his son, even if his herd had to be cut down. The appeal of W. T. Shields for Thomas William Shields and Norman Malcolm Shields, on the grounds of public interest and hardship, was considered by the Board. Both the reservists were serving in the Home Guard, but they were both willing to enter camp if the Board so decided. The Board decided to adjourn the appeal sine die, reservists to continue in.the Home Guard. H. J. Barker, appealing for Clar-. ence Robert Olsen, farm hand, of Kio Kio, gave evidence that he had been sharemilking for the past foiir years and asked that Olsen be allowed to continue working for him until the end of April. The appeal was dismissed, reservist to continue until that date. Mrs H. M. Bromley appealed for Cecil Thomas Bromley, farmer, of Pirongia Road, Otorohanga. Mr J. F. Trapski stated that the farm Bromley was working on was about to be sold. The case was adjourned until the next sitting of the Board. Leslie Worth, works manager, of Hangatiki, was appealed for by hjs father, R. L. Worth, who said that his son had become ill as a result of working in the lime factory, and had gone to the South Island for a rest cure. One son was in a Territorial camp and another was awaiting entry into the Air Force. The Board adjourned the appeal till after the reservist had been reexamined by a Medical Board. Stanley August appealed for William Robin Brassell, baker, of Otorohanga. Appellant stated that it was impossible to procure the labour required. He was carrying on under difficulties and the work which was at present biing performed by two bakers, an assistant and a boy, was, two years ago, done by at least six men. Brassell’s only brother had been serving overseas and had been posted missing. The case was adjourned sine die. R. M. Hurley, appea'ling for his brother, Kenneth Hurley, farmer, of Whawharua, said that another of his brothers was at present in a military camp. A sine die adjournment was granted. The Christian Assemblies of God of Australia and New Zealand appealed for Harold Blakeley McWilliam, minister, of Te Kawa. William John Hughes read a statement setting out the views of the reservist. He stated that McWilliam had been transferred from the Waikato district to the King Country, to take charge of an area from Te Awamutu to Taihape. There were 23 ministers of this sect in the Dominion, and the number of adherents was nearly 3000. When asked if the position of Chaplain to the Forces would be agreeable to.McWilliam, witness replied that it would not, as a, chaplain held officer’s, rank and was in receipt of a salary for the work he was doing, which was contrary to his beliefs. The case was adjourned sine die.