NECESSARY WORK

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXI, Issue 8833, 16 October 1942, Page 2

NECESSARY WORK

APPEALS BY WAIHI FIRM j 1 HELPING WAR EFFORT (BOARD CONSIDERS POSITION Eight appeals against general service lodged by Akrad Radio: Corporation, Waihi, which is now engaged largely on essential war work, were considered at a sitting of the Armed Forces Appeal Board on Tuesday. Those appealed for were: Edward William Grant, radio , engineer; A. L. Groat, spray painter; Max Humphrey Gunn, radio technician; George Ernest Hands, mechanical engineer; John Christopher Higgens, cabinetmaker; Cyril Douglas Murphy, toolmaker; and Keith Marsden Wrigley, proprietor and general manager. All of them had been medically classed grade I, and the appeals in respect of Grant, Gunn and Murphy had been previously considered and had been adjourned for review. Statement by the Firm

In a statement submitted to the board, the firm said it now employed 46 hands, and as the work done was of a highly specialised nature it was necessary to retain the services of a greater number of technicians than was the case in most industries. At present the staff was occupied about 78 per cent, of its time on defence production, but the major plan had not yet been put into operation. To cope with requirements, a new factory with a staff of 22 had been established, and provision for 25 more hands had been made, but there would still be a lack of senior staff if obligations were to be fulfilled. The company had been called upon to make a maximum effort. The secretary of the board, Mr A. Ripley, read a letter from the Director of National Service suggesting that, in view of commitments, appeals by the firm should be given sympathetic consideration. Alternative Service Reservists were then questioned about alternative service that was 1 being given, and, with the exception of Higgens, who is serving in the Home Guard, and Groat, who is not attached to any service, it was shown that the rest were members of the E.P.S., serving in various ways. Decisions Reserved The chairman, Mr Edwin Edwards, said that decision in each case would be reserved, and that reservists would be advised within the next few days about the alternative service to be done. He pointed out that men who had been graded class I would be more useful in the Home Guard than in the E.P.S.