HEARING BEFORE MILITARY BOARD.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17126, 30 October 1917, Page 6

HEARING BEFORE MILITARY BOARD.

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 29. The Military Service Board to-day heard au appeal for exemption from military service ipdged in the name o* Patrick Charles Webb, M.P. for Grey Mr McCombs, M.P., represented the appellant, and presented a petition from electors of Grey, praying for Mr. Webb's retention.

The Chairman (Mr Beswick) asked what were the grounds of the appeal. Mi-. McGombs handed in a written statement setting out reasons. It was stated that Mr. Webb was essential to the welfare of a large number of people on the West Coast.

John Arbuckie, secretary of the NewZealand Coal Miners', Union, said he represented the feeling of the whole or tlie coal miners in the Dominion, and he believed Mr. Webb was particularly qualified to be their representative in the House. He had done escepoiona^y good work in introducing special mining legislation providing for better and saier working conditions. Mr. Webb was a practical miner. Witness believed.the tiuntly mine disater would have been avoided if Mr. Webb's advice had been heeded.,

The Chairman asked: If Mr Webb resigned, do- you think the miners would not be. properly represented in Parliament?

Witness: I do think so. Mr. Webb has the confidence of the miners. Captain Baldwin (military representative) : Do you suggest that Mr. Webb is the only man in New Zealand who has the confidence of the miners?

Witness: Well, I could hardly go so far as that.

The Chairman pointed out that other occupations ;as important as mining were not specially represented in Parliament, mentioning the seamen, who followed perhaps the most hazardous calling of all.

"Witness replied : Well, I can tell you that only recently Mr. Webb saved the country from a grave industrial cri-

Witness detailed the work carried out in the mines by Mr Webb. When Captain Baldwin asked: " Are you appealing for Mr Webb as a memUer of Parliament or as a miner expert?" witness replied, "Both." Replying to further questions, witness said if they had a man an Parliament with Mr. Webb's knowledge ■?.£ mining, they would be content, but the difficulty was that though men with that knowledge were available, none possessed the confidence of the rest of the men sufficiently. At this point the Board considered it desirable that Mr Webb shoals?, attend personally to say if he would engage in an essential industry during the recess.

Appellant did not appear, and the case was adjourned.