NOW DISBANDED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23297, 5 September 1945, Page 4

NOW DISBANDED

Armed Forces Appeal Board Five Years Of Work Having heard a total of 6335 appeals from reservists, the Timaru Armed Forces Appeal Board has been disbanded owing to the cessation of hostilities. The number of Category A men held on appeal at the time was 1018, all resident between the Waitaki and Rakaia Rovers. The Board has been in operation for more than five years, having been constituted in June, 1940, under the title of the Manpower Advisory Committee. The committee was formed to deal with appeals against Territorial service and appeals regarding the service of volunteers. With the introduction of conscription the Armed Forces Appeal Boards were constituted, six being set up in New Zealand at the end of 1940 to handle appeals against overseas service. Later these Appeal Boards also dealt with the appeals of conscientious objectors. The calling up of whole sections of the population for military service would have had a disastrous effect on industry if there had been no administrative machine provided to determine who should go into the Armed Forces and who, in the public Interest, should be held for a period of time in Industry. Of the total number of appeals shown above, this does not include overseas volunteers who were held by the Manpower Committee, and does not Include all men who were annealed for In the original overseas ballots. These cases were heard by the No. 1 Christchurch Appeal Board, but later were reviewed by the Timaru Armed Forces Appeal Board.

Covering a district from the Waitaki to the Rakaia, the Manpower Advisory Committee anpointees were Messrs C. J. Talbot. A. J. Davey, H. Badham, with Mr H. M. Beazant as secretary. The first meeting was held In the office of the Social Security Department on June 18. 1940, when the cases of overseas ’volunteers were considered. At the seventh meeting. Mr R. S. Gillies was appointed secretary, and in October, the Advisory Committee became the Timaru Manpower Committee, Mr K. Mackenzie, of Geraldine. being appointed deputy-chairman and Messrs Angland and Osborne deputy members. When the chairman resigned, Mr Mackenzie took his place with Mr W. F. Boland of Waimate, as deputy. In January, 1942, Mr Davey resigned and Mr J. Scott of Fairlie. was appointed in his place, but in August, Mr Scott died suddenly. Mr S. G. McClelland joined the Board with Messrs A. R. Cuzens and A. Ward as deputies. Became Appeal Board In September, 1942, the committee was constituted the Armed Forces Appeal Board, and after Mr Badham resigned, Mr J. Cooke, with the late Mr F. E. Stewart as deputy, was appointed in his stead. From that time on the personnel of the Board remained the same to the end of the war. The period that followed Japan’s entry into the war is regarded by the Board to be easily its busiest time, with men being required urgently to form the nucleus of the Third Division. Again in 1945 the Board had a peak period when replacement drafts were urgently required for the Middle East. In June, 1944. Mr R. S. Gillies returned to the Civil Service and the District Mannower Officer was appointed secretary with Mr V/. Mayson as Crown representative. Mr Mayson returned to Christchurch and Mr Fleetwood replaced him as Crown representative, the secretary being Mr E. R. Winkel, who had come from Oamaru as District Manpower Officer.