WAIMATE APPEALS HEARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22064, 10 September 1941, Page 8

WAIMATE APPEALS HEARD

Board Deals With 26 Cases

Further Sitting To-day

Twenty-six Aases were heard by the Armed Forces Appeal Board in Walmate yesterday, and at a further sitting to-day the Board will hear 11 appeals. The Board consisted of Messrs F. F. Reid, S.M. (chairman), G. M. Hall and A. H. McKane. Mr W. F. Tracy represented the Crown. H. F. Shea (Mr W. F. Poland), farmer, appealed for his son, John Joseph Shea. He said he could not do much himself because of his health. The appeal was adjourned sine die on the grounds of public interest.

V. R. Wilson (Mr W. F. Boland), farmer, lodged an appeal for his son Leslie Ronald Wilson. Appellant told Mr Hall that his farm was particularly' steep. A married son had turned the tractor over a year or two ago and had lost his nerve. He had a crawler type tractor, but some of his farm was like the “wail of a house." His binder had capsized several times and it was necessary, when cutting crop, to have a man sitting above the platform wheel. The appeal was adjourned sine die, the reservist to be transferred to the Territorial Forces. T. Darragh (Mr W. F. Boland) flax miller, appealed for William T. Girdler, a partner. The mill required eight men, and he had been unable to replace one who had left. Girdler was a key man. Tire reservist's father had been killed in the mill. The appeal was adjourned until the next sitting of the Board in Waimate.

William Henry George Kennedy (Mr W. F. Boland), a raspberry grower, said his mother was a cripple. His father was aged 69 and he was an only child. He took the place over from his father in April, 1939. The property consisted of 24J acres and 6J acres were in raspberries. He was paying his father 12/- an acre rent. Samuel Kennedy, co-appellant, admitted to Mr Reid that there were a number of raspberry farms in the Waimate district. Tire appeal was dismissed, the reservist not to be called up before March 1.

James Patrick Slattery, farmer, said he had 85 acres cultivated on a small farm. He had a brother who could not do heavy work and two sisters at home.

Mr Tracy asked what his sisters intended to do to help the reservist to go into camp, particularly in view of what women were doing as a war effort. Slattery: "I don't know." He admitted that it did not require two of them to keep house, and one at least, could no doubt get a job if she tried. Decision was reserved.

Sidney James Blair (Mr T- A. Wilson), farmer, appealed on the grounds of public interest. The appeal was adjourned sine die, the reservist to be transferred to the territorial force.

R. J. Frost (Mr W. F. Boland) appealed for Gordon Richard Wilson. He had employed Wilson for eight years and had tried to replace him without success. The appeal was adjourned sine die, the reservist to be transferred to the Territorial force.

George Alexander Sullivan (Mr /. F. Boland), farmer, who appealed on the grounds of public Interest, said he shore 2500 sheep last year, and there was no reason why he should not do the same amount this year. His father was in bad health but would probably be abl? supervise the -reperty of 110 acres while the reservist did Territorial servic.. The appeal was adjourned sine die, the reservist to ' e transferred to the Territorial force. Thomas Henry Spiers Allnutt (Mr S. I. Fitch), farmer, said he had a property of 197 acres at Waikakihi. He employed casual labour in busy periods. None of his brothers could take over the farm. The appeal was adjourned sine die on the grounds of public Interest.

Mrs R. A. Richards (Mr N. L. Knell) appealed for William Fairful. After reading the affidavit Mr Reid commented: He certainly has something to do. Well, he had better keep on doing it. The case is adjourned sine die.

J. Bruce (Mr S. I. Fitch) appealed for a son, Stanley Hector Bruce. He had two single sons, and he was quite agreeable that they shot:' do Territorial service; A married son was nine miles away from appellant's property and another . as three miles away. Mr Tracy said one son was unfit for overseas service, but there seemed to have been no effort to replace the other.

Mr Reid: Did you know your other son wasn’t fit before he was called up?—No.

Question of Manpower Mr Reid: Listen to this, will ycu Mr Bruce: 4,290 sheep, 15 cattle, 280 acres under cultivation; one man and a cowboy. Yet. you want two able bodied men for 700 ewes and 200 acres under cultivation. Can you explain it?—Well, they are fully occupied. They are doing what the four sons were formerly doing.

Mr Fitch said there was doubt a':out the reservist’s eyesight and he filed a certificate from a specialist. Mr Reid said that in view of the certificate, and apart from the merits of the case, the Board would adjourn the appeal to the next sitting of the the reservist for a medical re-examin-ation. It wou’d be advisable, if th? reservist’s own doctor \ as also consulted, as the Board could only make a recommendation to the military authorities.

Thomas James Garre”- appealed on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship.

Mr T. A. Wilson stated that the Wainono Drainage Board asked that if the reservist was called up time should be allowed tc find a substitute. The chairma - Why did you take up the Contract " - three years with the Wainono Drainage Board, knowing you were Fable f.r military service? The father (interjecting): On my advice.

Appellant: Beer use my father advised me to. ,

The chairman: You only said th.t because yoi "ather told you to. Addressing the father, Mr Reid saidIf you interrupt again I will have you removed.

Appellant said he cultivated raspberries. His father could not do that work. He did not object to going to the war.

The appeal was dismissed subject to the reservist nc: being called up before March 1.

An appeal by Stewart Dicksc Richmond was withdrawn by I: ve, the reservist not to go into camp before October 1.

J. C. Hay appealed on behalf of his son, William J. A. Hay. Appellant said he farmed two properties totalling 600 acres. He had be ,n unable to obtain a man to replace r-'s son.

Girls Looking For Work

Mr Hall: There are even girls looking for work.

He proceeded to read an advertisement in which one offered to drive a

six-horse team and even do killing. Appellant: She would get a job quick if she was prepared to help these women who are working to death. Mr Hall admitted the existence of a domestic labour problem.

Mr Reid: That problem also exists in cities, I can assure you, Mr Hay. The appeal was dismissed, the reservist not to go into camp before March 1. Mrs D. Rathgen (Mr S. I. Fitch) appealed on behalf of her son Leslie Henry George Rathgen. She said she had two sons but John had had a serious accident some years ago which prevented him from doing farm work. He had tried to do farm work, but could not carry on. The reservist was aged 35 or 36. He had always been on the farm. He did all the work. The appeal was adjourned sine die. An appeal by O. C. Bailey on behalf of George Hay was withrawn by leave of the Board.

The appeal of Mrs M. Carroll for John William Carroll was adjourned sine die. She stated that her farm was flat land, with plenty of stones. A boy of x 8 helped her son on the farm.

Part of Father’s Farm

Ivan William Simmons appealed on the grounds of public Interest and undue hardship. The case was dismissed. the reservist not to be called up before November 1. Appellant said he had received no replies to his advertisements. His farm was previously part of his father’s ' farm, and his father had looked after the farm when appellant was in Australia. An adjournment sine die was granted in an appeal by John Vincent Cooney. J. F. Cooney was co-appellant. William Melville Simpson, farmer, appealed on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. He stated that he had not tried to get a man since the Board was last in Waimate. The appeal was adjourned sine die on the grounds of public Interest. An appeal for postponement tf service in respect of his son William Croft, until a younger son had completed his Territorial service, was made by George Croft, farmer. Another son was working on a farm at Studholme and still another son was waiting t. be called into camp. The appeal was adjourned until the next sitting of the Board in Waimate. Appealing on ehalf of Alfred Henry Croft, John F. Foley, farmer, said the reservist had teen in his employ 12 months, and he had applied to ‘ .e Placement Officer for a man but without success. The appeal was dismissed, reservist not to be called up before March 1. Ronald Alexander Cochrane (Mr '7. F. Boland), a school bus driver, whose case had been adjourned from the previous sitting of the Board, said he had approached the Education Board about five weeks ago in connection with the bus service, but he had received no reply.

Mr Reid: Why didn’t you do something immediately after the last sitting of this Board in Waimate?—l went to Christchurch to see the Education Board.

Mr Tracy: What did you do about a driver?—l tried to get a driver. You have done nothing in six months?—l went to Christchurch five weeks ago. Mr McKane: For how long did you try to train a woman driver?—Two or three days.

The appeal was dtmissed, the reservist not to go into camp before December 15