WORKERS IN MINES

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

WORKERS IN MINES

MARRIED MEN AND SINGLE FAMILIES COME FIRST APPEALS BY MARTHA COMPANY Although the operations of the Martha Gold Mining Co. (Waihi), Ltd., have been declared essential, adjournments sine die will not be made in the case of single men called for service if there is a possibility of the company’s being able to replace them. This was made plain by the chairman, Mr Edwin Edwards, at a sitting of the Armed Forces ‘Appeal Board in Waihi on Wednesday, when nearly 30 men were appealed for by the company. Statement by Chairman

In the case of married men employed by the company, provided they were experienced in their jobs, adjournments sine die would almost always automatically follow, said Mr Edwards, but in the case of single men the board felt very strongly that the fact that they were engaged in a protected industry should not permit of their being kept at work in_ their usual occupations when men in other walks of life who were not engaged in work considered essential were obliged to leave their wives and families to join some branch of the Armed Forces. Short adjournments would, however, be made, to enable the company to replace single men.

The acting-mine manager, Mr K. A. Birchall, said he appreciated the position, but instructions had been received to appeal for all men whose work was considered necessary. Adjournments Granted Adjournments sine die, on condition that reservists remained in their present occupation and continued to serve in, or joined the Home Guard within 14 days, reservists to be available for general mobilisation should the need arise, were made in the cases of the following married men: Ralph Alexander Allison, Barron Thomas Baird, Harry Graham Cornes, Andrew Gordon Gibson, Ronald Stephen Hossack, Josiah Warn, Leslie Keogh, Joseph Trevor Pennell and Edward Lawrence Mayson, all miners; William Henry Fisher, treatment-hand, Waikino; James W. Gibson, timberman; Reginald Hector Hart, platelayer; William Frederick Lindsey, turner; Leonard Ward, braceman ;and Francis Louis Warn, chamberman. The Single Men

Cases concerning single men were dealt with as follows: James Berry, miner, adjourned till December 31 for reviews reservist to continue to serve in the Home Guard; John Raymond Climo, braceman, decision reserved; Robert I. K. Dutton, miner, sine die and to serve with Home Guard; N. C. Edwards, electrical apprentice, decision reserved; Roy Walter Hendry, trucker, adjourned till December 31 for review; Joseph Killey, clerk, Waikino, dismissed, reservist not to be called before March 31, 1943; John Leslie McAra, electrician, sine die, decision reserved about alternative service; Bertram James Mitchell, truck-repairer, Waikino, sine die; Harold Wilson Seothern, miner, adjourned till December 31 for review, reservist to continue to serve in the Home Guard; Arthur Charles Shergold, miner, decision reserved; Alfred Martin Smoothey, braceman, decision reserved. The case of Arthur George Wilson was dismissed.

Case of Conscience

In granting a sine die adjournment in the case of Athol Kenneth Franks, battery repairer, the board said reservist was a conscientious objector, and the ’question of alternative service would be considered. Franks, it was said, was veyy willing to do non-combatant service with either the Home Guard or the E.P.S.