"WASTING THEIR TIME."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11926, 8 February 1917, Page 5

"WASTING THEIR TIME."

; fO THK Kl'MOli i 1 j Sir. Will you kindly gran; me j j j space in your valuable paper to draw ; I attention "to a slighi misiako in your j ' I reuort of the c:i>e of n-y sons heard he- j ' i fore the Military Board en Tuesday-! " !It is made to a.ppear thai iny soii-s \ 1 ! aro trainers, rich-rs and' drivers />fj j'trotte-'s iii.iead ei' "amateurs." which; i is entirely different, as the one .-, a ; liusines.s, lite other a hobby. I asked . t ' the BetK'h the privilege make a ! i i statement, but was denied tiiat right. ] ; and cut short by the ebai'-man saying « J the board had no 'consideration fori ! men wasting their lime on horse racing : ; and training; men who could find lime; ' ! for such pursuits could It ml tinm io go > i to tho war. I coiiiend' that, my sons -■ , have a perfect right to n;ake their I ; hobbv keeping horses, and use their j 'leisure time, which every v. orker is j ' entitled to, just, niuch as another ' j person nitty be said to bo wastine; his j 1 i time in motor-iiieycle riding, golf, lisn- ; j mg. or any other hol.by. If my sons : ■" j were working tor anyone 'on: rue they i I would only work eidit hours jf.r day, '; r j ami could mil in tlieii leisure time ; i- | doing anything tiny plei-ised except; r ' horse-training, and notiting would he ; | wiid. Bsit my farm, on whicli nyv -nns ; I work, as I wa s prepared to prove by i wit-ni'ssi's, is one of t'ne most intensely i i! and best worked' farms in the district, j s ; They are prepared to work all times, i .-! generally for ten. ami, if nooessa ry. \ £ ' ; twehe and fourteen hours, per day, and j q | nothing is nHowy.l xo interfere with | y | their work to cause mgrjoci. Surely j ,] , they are entitled, to seme respite even ; e I in war time. Your report also .says j i that my son overlooked mentioning j | the fact about the ownorsh.'o of horses j " 5 ! at, the previous meeting. f made the I j appeal on his behalf, and made a state- ■ i ! meat showing what were tlio primary j ] i productions of the farm and my reasons j . | for appealing were that I wanted 1 my ! - ; sons to take their phu-e in the ballot j t'on an equal footing with others. T : v I contend it- was not incumbent on me to i '{ | -disclose the fact of my boy's hobby, I

which had nothing to do wi;h the production and income of the farm. Ifo was only -asked if he had anything to say. and his reply was that he had noi. f am fully convinced that my sous have been made an example of under section 'ln of the Act. brought about, by some person or person'- givimr false information from vindictiVe motives and' hiding themselves ho'ejnd the cloak of the authorities.--! am. etc.. E H. HFPfLARD. Rieourt-oi). February 8.