APPEAL AGAINST SERVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 187, 11 August 1941, Page 6

APPEAL AGAINST SERVICE

SON SUBMITS LETTER FROM MOTHER BUT REFUSES TO CALL HER A WELLINGTON APPEAL A letter from his mother, Mrs. Catherine Stewart. M.P. for Wellington West, was read to the No. 4 Armed Forces Appeal Board in Wellington on Thursday by William Baird Sword Stewart, insurance agent, who appealed on conscientious grounds. The Crown representative, Mr. C. O. Bell, objected to the letter going in unless the writer appeared before the hoard for cross-examination. The case was stood over till the afternoon, when appellant said he would let his case rest rather than have his mother submitted to cross-examination. Appellant, said his objection was based on Christian grounds. He was not prepared to join any organisation such as the E.P.S., but was willing at all times to be a good citizen and to do anything he believed to be good. Appellant read the letter from his mother and the objection referred to was taken by Mr. Bell. The case was then adjourned to give appellant the opportunity of calling his mother in person.

Appellant said in the afternoon that he had thought over the idea of bringing his mother before the board to support her written statement, but he had decided that if it. did not carry sufficient weight he would let his case rest rather than have her submitted to cross-examination.

The chairman, Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., said that the Crown representative was quite within his rights in requesting the presence before the board of a witness residing in Wellington and readily available. Prefacing his reply with the remark, “Mr. Chairman or whatever your title is, I don’t know,” appellant said that if his mother was a private citizen it would be all right, but everybody these days was politically minded and he would not like his mother to be placed in a position which might be used to her detriment. The chairman informed appellant that there was no question of any political considerations so far as the board was concerned. Mr. Bell asked appellant if there was any other evidence he would like to call. Appellant replied there was none. The appeal was dismissed.